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UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS, 

Agricultural  Experiment  Station, 


CHAMPAIGN,  MAY,  1890. 


BULLETIN  NO.  9. 


MILK  AND  BUTTER  TESTS. 

COMPOSITION  OF  MILK. 

In  this  bulletin,  Dr.  A.  G.  Manns,  until  January  i,  1890,  assistant 
chemist  of  this  Station,  has  reported  the  results  of  a  large  number  of  tests 
of  milk  made  by  him.  The  primary  object  of  these  tests  was  the  com- 
parison of  different  methods  of  determining  the  value  of  milk,  as  indicated 
by  the  percentage  of  fat  contained  in  it.  The  work  thus  done  shows  that 
the  method  devised  by  Mr.  F.  G.  Short  is  reasonably  accurate,  provided 
the  tubes  necessary  in  its  use  have  been  properly  prepared  and  correctly 
graduated.  Presumably  there  is  less  danger  of  variation  in  the  tubes  as 
now  made  and  sold,  than  when  they  were  first  placed  on  the  market,  as 
the  manufacturers  probably  now  use  greater  care  in  the  graduation.  It 
would  be  well,  however,  as  sets  are  purchased,  to  test  them  with  milk  of 
the  same  composition  before  using  them  to  determine  the  differences  in 
different  samples. 

Aside  from  any  value  this  work  may  have  in  helping  to  show  the  com- 
parative desirability  of  different  methods  of  determining  the  fat  in  milk, 
it  well  illustrates  the  importance  of  using  some  accurate  method  for  such 
determination  where  milk  is  bought  and  sold.  Thus,  the  milk  furnished 
by  one  patron  of  the  factory  at  Malta  showed  3.07  per  cent,  of  fat;  that 
of  another,  furnished  the  same  day,  4.75  per  cent.  In  a  still  more  striking 
manner,  this  work  illustrates  the  importance  of  testing  the  milk  of  in- 
dividual cows  in  a  herd;  for  the  variation  in  the  value  of  the  milk  of 
different  cows  maybe  greater  than  in  the  milk  from  different  herds.  The 
larger  the  number  of  cows,  the  more  nearly,  probably,  will  the  milk  ap- 
proach the  average  composition.  Thus,  while  there  was  at  Malta,  a 
difference  of  1.68  per  cent,  in  the  fat  in  the  milk  from  two  herds,  the  next 


290  BULLETIN    NO.  9. 

greatest  variation  was  1.15  per  cent.;  and  in  but  two  other  herds,  out  of 
a  total  of  60,  was  the  variation  as  much  as  .8  of  a  per  cent.  At  the  De- 
Kalb  and  Shabbona  factories,  where  the  samples  were  taken  from  mixed 
milk  from  three  to  a  half  dozen  herds,  the  greatest  variation  in  fat  in  any 
two  lots  was  .9  percent,  in  the  one  case  and  .57  per  cent,  in  the  other. 
On  the  other  hand,  the  milk  of  one  pair  of  the  n  cows  tested  in  one  herd 
showed  a  difference  of  1.8  per  cent.;  of  another  pair,  1.4.  The  milk  of 
two  of  the  16  cows  tested  in  another  herd  showed  a  difference  of  1.5  per 
cent.  The  average  percentage  of  fat  in  the  milk  of  four  of  these  cows 
was  4.48;  that  of  four  others  3.53. 

The  average  per  cent,  of  fat  found  June  17,  1889,  by  Dr.  Manns, 
using  Short's  method,  in  the  milk  furnished  by  63  patrons  of  the  factory 
at  DeKalb  was  3.83;  June  24th,  in  the  milk  furnished  by  60  patrons  of  the 
factory  at  Malta,  3.70;  July  3d,  in  the  milk  furnished  by  61  patrons  of  the 
factory  at  Shabbona,  3.66;  and  the  average  of  fat  as  shown  by  the  101 
tests  made  on  the  three  days  named  in  the  35,017  Ib.  of  milk  furnished  by 
the  184  patrons  of  the  three  factories,  was  3.73  per  cent. 

A  more  striking  illustration  of  the  difference  in  milk  of  cows  in 
the  same  herd,  under  like  conditions,  is  found  in  the  report  of  a  test  made 
in  March,  1890,  by  Mr.  H.  B.  Gurler,  of  DeKalb,  whose  herd,  it  may  be 
safely  assumed,  has  been  selected  and  bred  with  more  than  average  intel- 
ligence. The  milk  of  64  of  his  cows  was  tested  by  Short's  method.  The 
average  per  cent,  of  fat  found  was  4.21;  the  highest,  5.85;  the  lowest, 
2.75 — a  variation  of  3.10  per  cent.  The  average  of  ten  cows  was  5.41; 
of  ten  others,  3.2.  Dividing  the  herd  into  four  equal  lots,  the  average  of 
one  lot  of  16  was  5.18;  of  another  lot  of  same  number,  3.38. 

The  difference  between  the  average  for  this  herd  (4.21)  and  that  shown 
above  for  the  184  herds  contributing  to  the  three  factories  (3.73),  is  due 
in  part  to  the  character  of  the  food,  and  to  the  season  of  the  year. 

In  the  use  of  Short's  test  at  his  creamery  at  Malta,  Mr.  Gurler  reports, 
March,  1890:  "  The  last  test  of  patrons  ranged  from  3.55  Ib.  fat  per  100 
Ib.  milk,  to  4.90  Ib.,  very  few  being  under  3.75,  and  few  over  4.25." 

Differences  found  in  the  Composition  of  Milk  from  Cows  of  Different 
Breeds.  There  are  well-known  differences  in  the  average  per  cent,  of  fat  in 
the  milk  of  cows  of  different  breeds.  The  length  of  the  time  since  calving, 
and  the  condition  of  the  cow,  affect  the  percentage  of  fat  in  the  milk; 
but  in  this  case,  as  in  many  others,  it  was  clearly  shown  that  there  are 
marked  differences  in  the  milk  of  cows  of  like  breeding  and  under  like 
conditions. 

At  the  American  Fat  Stock  and  Dairy  Show,  held  at  Chicago  in  No- 
vember, 1889,  eight  cows  competed  for  prizes  to  be  awarded  those  giving 
the  greatest  quantity  of  butter  fat  in  milk  given  in  one  day.  Two  Ayrshires, 
three  Holsteins,  and  three  Jerseys  competed.  The  milk  was  analyzed  by 
Dr.  Manns,  from  whose  report  the  following  results  are  taken: 


i89o] 


MILK    AND    BUTTER   TESTS. 


291 


TABLE  SHOWING  RESULTS  OF  MILK  TESTS  OF  Cows  OF  DIFFERENT  BREEDS. 


? 

1 

I 
8 

2 

3 

9 

Name. 

Breed. 

Total   milk, 
Lb.      oz. 

Butter 
fat,  oz. 

Per  cent, 
butt'r  fat 

Total 
s'l'ds,oz. 

Per  cent, 
total 
solids. 

Spotty  G  .  . 

Ayrshire 
Ayrshire 
Holstein 
Holstein 
Holstein 
Jersey  .  . 
Jersey  .  . 
Jersey  .  . 

32      9% 
29       i% 
65      7 
16      9'/2 
57     13 
24    14^ 
»3     H 

20        2% 

21-54 
18.39 
36.12 

9  59 

22.66 
21  .24 

13  54 
14-03 

4-13 

3-95 

3  15 
3-6i 

2-45 
5-33 
6.10 

4-35 

64.77 
58.42 

120.02 

34-33 
91  .21 
56.03 

34-34 
44-47 

12.42 

12-55 
11.48 
12.93 
9.86 
14.06 
15-47 
13.79 

Young  Ellen.        ... 

May  Overton  

Mollie  Anderson  

Schulling    

Marea  

Helen  of  Oxford  3d  

Dot  Bloomfield   

"Entry  I.  First  premium  awarded  to  May  Overton;  exhibited  by  F.  C.  Stevens,  of 
Attica,  N.  Y. 

"Entry  8.  Second  premium  awarded  to  Schulling;  exhibited  by  Stevenson  Bros., 
Bulger,  Pa. 

"  Entry  5.  Third  premium  awarded  to  Spotty  G  4900;  exhibited  by  John  Stewart  & 
Son,  Elburn,  111." 

The  precentage  of  fat  in  the  milk  of  the  three  Holstein  cows  aver- 
aged 3.17  with  a  difference  of  i.oo;  of  the  Ayrshires,  4.04  with  a  differ- 
ence of  only  .18;  of  the  Jerseys,  5.26  with  a  difference  of  1.75 
per  cent,  between  highest  and  lowest;  the  extreme  difference  being 
3.65  per  cent.  The  milk  of  one  of  the  Holstein  cows  was  phe- 
nomenally low  in  per  cent,  of  both  fat  and  total  solids,  although  the 
large  yield  of  milk  made  the  total  amount  of  fat  greater  than  that  pro- 
duced by  any  other  of  the  lot  except  one.  It  will  be  noticed  that  exclud- 
ing the  milk  of  this  cow,  which  was  reported  to  have  been  sick  for  some  days 
preceding  the  test,  the  difference  of  the  solids  other  than  fat  in  the  milk 
of  any  two  of  the  cows,  did  not  exceed  1.41  per  cent.,  illustrating  the  im- 
portant fact  that  the  percentage  of  fat  in  milk  is  much  more  variable  than 
that  of  any  or  all  other  solids  found  in  it. 

COMPOSITION  OF  BUTTER. 

Chemical  analysis  cannot  determine  with  certainty  the  comparative 
excellence  of  two  samples  of  butter.  The  texture,  color,  and  even  the 
flavor  are  not  mainly  dependent  on  the  percentage  of  fat,  water,  and  salt. 
The  quality  of  salt  used  and  the  uniformity  of  its  distribution  may  have 
more  effect  on  the  palatability  of  the  butter  than  the  quantity  used. 
Different  markets  have  different  standards,  especially  as  to  color  and  salt- 
ing. There  is,  however,  much  of  interest  in  determining  the  composition 
of  what  is  considered  good  butter  in  American  markets. 

The  following  report  of  the  committee  of  the  Association  of  Ameri- 
can Agricultural  Colleges  and  Experiment  Stations,  gives  the  results  of 
the  analysis  by  chemists  of  recognized  ability  of  a  series  of  samples  of 
butter  which  had  taken  first  prizes  at  the  only  dairy  show  with  a  claim  to 
a  national  character  held  in  the  United  States  last  year.  As  a  part  of  the 
work  was  done  at  this  Station,  the  report  may  appropriately  be  inserted 
here. 


292 


BULLETIN    NO.  9. 


[May, 


"  Composition  of  American  Prize  Butter.  By  cooperation  of  the  Illinois  State 
Board  of  Agriculture  and  the  Association  of  American  Agricultural  Colleges  and  Ex- 
periment Stations,  five  samples  were  taken  by  Drs.  Babcock  and  Manns,  chemists  of  the 
Wisconsin  and  Illinois  Experiment  Stations,  from  each  of  nine  lots  of  butter  to  which 
first  prizes  had  been  awarded  in  as  many  classes  at  the  American  Dairy  Show,  held  in 
Chicago  in  November,  1889,  under  the  auspices  of  the  Illinois  State  Board  of  Agriculture. 
A  set  of  these  samples  was  analyzed  by  each  of  the  following  chemists:  Dr.  H.  W. 
Wiley,  of  U.  S.  Dep't  of  Agriculture;  Dr.  E.  H.  Jenkins,  of  the  Connecticut  Experiment 
Station;  Dr.  A.  G.  Manns,  of  the  Illinois  Experiment  Station;  Professor  M.  A.  Scovell, 
of  the  Kentucky  Experiment  Station;  and  Dr.  S.  M.  Babcock,  of  the  Wisconsin  Experi- 
ment Station,  except  that  an  accident  prevented  the  analysis  by  Dr.  Babcock  of  the 
sample  from  lot  No.  8. 

"In  the  table  following  are  given  the  names  and  addresses  of  the  exhibitors;  the 
prize  taken  by  each  lot,  and  the  rating  of  each  by  the  awarding  committee  on  the  scale 
of  points  adopted;  the  average  of  the  analyses  of  the  five  samples  from  each  lot;  and  the 
general  average  of  the  forty-four  analyses  of  the  nine  lots  by  the  five  chemists. 

TABLE  SHOWING  RATINGS  FOR  AWARD  AND  AVERAGES  OF  ANALYSES  OF  BUTTERS 
TAKING  PREMIUMS  AT  CHICAGO,  NOVEMBER,    1889. 


No. 

Exhibitor. 

Address. 

Description  of  Samples. 

i 

2 

3 
4 

I 

7 
8 

9 

Wm.  H.  Taylor.  . 
I   F   Laing  .    ... 

Davis 
Chica 
Rockj 
Davis 
Linde 
Hamp 
Rock{ 
Mowe 
Belvid 

Junction,  111. 

'O. 

Sw'pstakes  —  Creamery  butter,gathered  cream 
Sweepstakes  —  Creamery  butter,  whole  milk. 
Sweepstakes  —  Dairy  butter. 
Sweepstakes  —  Butter  from  a  grade  cow. 
First  Prize  —  Butter  from  a  Jersey  cow. 
First  Prize  —  Butter  from  a  Shorthorn  cow. 
First  Prize  —  Butter  from  an  Ayrshire  cow. 
First  Prize  —  Butter  from  a  Devon  cow. 
First  Prize  —  Butter  from  a  Holstein  cow. 

A.  B.  Spencer..  .  . 
L.  McDonough.  . 
N.  L.  Smith  
P  L.  Yonker.    ... 

>ort,  Ohio   .  .  . 
Junction,  111. 
nville,  Ohio.  . 
ton,  Iowa  
>ort,  Ohio  
aqua,  111  
ere,  111  

A.  B.  Spencer..  .  . 
John  Hudson  .... 
R.  Hawkey  

I 

2 

3 
4 

i 

9 

*  Rating  for  premiums. 

Averages  of  Analyses. 

Flavor. 

Grain. 

Color. 

Salting. 

Total. 

Fat. 

Water  . 

f  Ash. 

Curd. 

43 
42 
40 
42 
39-5 
41-5 
40.5 
36.5 
40 

28.5 
29 
29 
29 
29 

27.5 
28  5 
28 
29 

H-5 
13-5 
14 
14-5 
H 
13-5 
14 
14 
13-5 

10 

9-5 
10 

10 

8-5 
8-5 

10 

8-5 

10 

96 
94 
93 
95  5 
91 
9i 
93 
87 
92-5 

85.41 
82.66 

86-53 
85.96 
88.08 
84.79 

86.53 
86.20 

85-53 

9-99 

12.  19 

8-49 
9.71 

8-99 
12.07 

9-53 
10.78 
10.56 

3-58 

3-93 
4.12 

3-29 
2.13 
1.79 

3-32 
2.29 
3-03 

I  .01 
1.  21 

0.86 
1.03 
o  79 
i-34 
0.81 
0.72 
0.88 

Average,  40.55 

28.6 

13.96 

9.44 

92-5 

85-74 

10.23 

3-05 

0.96 

*  The  standard  of  the  scale  of  points  in  a  total  of  100  was — Flavor,  45;  grain,  30; 
color,  15;  salting,  10. 
\  Chiefly  salt. 

"The  scores  of  the  judges  show  that,  in  their  judgment,  the  butter  analyzed  was 
good,  but  not  exceptionally  excellent,  from  the  commercial  standpoint,  for  the  Chicago 
market.  As  these  packages  had  stood  in  the  exhibition  room  for  about  ten  days  when 
the  samples  were  taken,  it  is  possible  that  some  of  the  water  of  the  freshly  packed  butter 
had  been  lost  through  drying;  and  the  percentage  of  water  in  these  samples  may  be  assumed 
to  be  near  the  minimum  for  standard  market  butter.  Otherwise  the  analyses  probably 
fairly  indicate  the  average  composition  of  such  butter.  Neither  flavor,  grain,  nor  color 
of  butter  is  necessarily  dependent  on  the  chemical  composition,  and  the  rating  as  to  salt 
may  depend  more  on  the  quality  of  the  salt  and  the  evenness  of  distribution  than  on  the 
percentage  found. 


1890.]  MILK  AND  BUTTER  TESTS.  293 

"  The  variation  in  the  fat  in  these  nine  lots  is  less  than  5.5  per  cent.  So  far  as  ap- 
pears from  these  analyses,  the  percentage  of  fat  in  butter  depends  on  the  thoroughness 
with  which  the  water  and  buttermilk  are  extracted,  and  the  quantity  of  salt  allowed  to 
remain,  and  not  on  the  breed  of  cows  nor  the  mode  of  manufacture.  The  lot  with 
highest  rating  by  the  scale  of  points  had  a  little  less  than  the  average  per  cent,  of  fat. 
That  which  stood  lowest  had  a  little  more  than  the  average  per  cent,  of  fat. 
The  average  per  cent,  of  salt  is  not  quite  half  that  often  put  into  American  butter.  The 
three  lots  which  were  rated  lowest  as  to  salting  and  which  stood  lowest  in  total  rating, 

each  had  less  than  the  average  of  salt. 

"  G.  E.  MORROW,  ) 

"W.  A.  HENRY,    [  Committee . " 

"H.  P.  ARMSBY,  ) 

Composition  of  Creamery  Butter  from  Connecticut.  The  following  is 
the  average  of  several  analyses  by  E.  H.  Farrington,  assistant  chemist  of 
this  Station,  of  a  sample  of  creamery  butter  made  in  Connecticut,  and 
forwarded  to  the  Station  by  Dr.  E.  H.  Jenkins,  of  the  Connecticut  Ex- 
periment Station:  Fat,  80.75;  water,  12.86;  curd,  1.32;  ash,  5.03  per  cent. 
It  will  be  noticed  that  this  sample  had  less  fat,  slightly  more  water,  and 
considerably  more  salt  than  any  one  of  the  prize  butters  referred  to  in  the 
report  above. 

Butter  Made  at  this  Station.  In  the  work  done  by  Dr.  Manns  and 
reported  in  this  bulletin,  it  was  not  necessary  to  make  complete  analyses 
of  butter.  The  water  was  determined  in  36  lots  of  butter  made  at  the 
Station,  Excluding  two  lots  made  from  spoiled  cream,  the  highest  per 
cent,  of  water  in  34  lots  of  unsalted  butter  was  17.12;  the  lowest,  12.79; 
the  average,  14.71. 

GEORGE  E.  MORROW,  A.  M.,  Agriculturist. 


MILK   TESTS. 

The  system  of  paying  for  milk  received  at  creameries,  irrespective  of 
its  quality,  has  given  rise  to  numerous  discussions  as  to  the  practicability 
of  using  simple  methods  for  the  estimation  of  fat  in  milk,  as  a  means  of 
establishing  a  true  basis  for  its  valuation.  Such  tests,  in  order  to  be 
practicable,  must  have  the  requisites  of  simplicity  in  manipulation  and 
accuracy.  Cream  tubes  would  be  invaluable,  were  the  results  obtained 
trustworthy.  But  the  per  cent,  of  fat  in  cream  varies  with  the  tempera- 
ture of  setting  and  the  richness  of  the  milk;  and  the  volume  is  also 
directly  influenced  by  the  condition  of  the  casein  in  the  milk  at  the  time 
of  setting.  Carefully  conducted  experiments  have  shown  that  samples  of 
milk  containing  like  percentages  of  fat  will  show  large  variations  in  per 
cent,  of  cream  on  standing  in  the  cream  tabes. 

Other  methods,  recommending  themselves  on  account  of  the  extreme 
simplicity  of  the  manipulation,  are  those  based  on  the  optical  examina- 
tion, as  with  the  lactoscope  or  the  pioscope.  All  optical  methods  are  in- 
accurate, because  the  opacity  of  milk  is  partly  due  to  the  casein;  and, 


294  BULLETIN  NO.  9.  \_May, 

while  it  is  true  that  the  degree  of  opacity  increases  regularly  with  the 
quantity  of  fat  held  in  suspension,  still  it  is  subject  to  modification  by  the 
variable  size  of  the  fat  globules.  Of  two  samples  of  milk  containing  the 
same  percentage  of  fat,  the  one  in  which  the  fat  globules  are  smallest  will 
appear  to  be  the  richer  when  examined  with  the  lactoscope. 

SHORT'S  TEST. 

The  following  work,  conducted  at  DeKalb,  Malta,  and  Shabbona,  was 
undertaken  by  the  Station  with  the  object  of  gathering  information  in 
regard  to  the  application  of  Short's  test  to  the  daily  work  of  the  creamery. 
Incidentally,  the  lactoscope  was  tested  in  comparison  with  the  gravimetric 
and  the  Short  methods. 

Two  sets  of  testing  flasks,  such  as  are  used  in  the  Short  test,  were  ex- 
amined. The  first  set  had  been  purchased  some  time  previous  to  the 
present  work  and  the  flasks  exhibited  wide  variations  in  the  diameters  of  the 
contracted  portions  of  the  tubes.  Sixteen  of  the  flasks  had  necks  of  uni- 
form diameter,  while  in  18  others  the  differences  were  sufficient  to  make  a 
difference  of  from  i.  per  cent,  to  1.45  per  cent,  in  the  results  read  from 
the  scale.  The  extreme  difference  in  cubic  contents,  for  equal  lengths  of 
the  contracted  part  of  the  tube,  where  the  fat  would  be  measured, 
amounted  to  33  per  cent,  of  the  capacity  of  that  portion  of  the  tubes. 
These  flasks  were  absolutely  worthless,  giving  misleading,  irregular  results. 

In  the  second  set,  and  it  might  be  added  in  others  purchased  since, 
the  extreme  difference  in  the  caliber  of  the  necks  made  a  difference  of  .3 
per  cent,  in  the  analytical  results  obtained.  No  difficulty  has  been  ex- 
perienced lately  in  purchasing  well  made  tubes.  However,  one  should 
carefully  avoid  buying  from  irresponsible  parties,  for  it  is  of  prime  im- 
portance that  the  tubes  and  the  scale  be  accurate. 

THE  LACTOSCOPE. 

In  order  to  familiarize  ourselves  with  the  instrument  at  our  disposal, 
a  number  of  tests  were  made  and  the  results  obtained  were  compared 
with  those  found  in  the  gravimetric  method.  The  results  soon  pointed  out 
a  deficiency  in  the  method  which,  no  doubt,  everybody  who  has  used  the 
lactoscope  will  recognize.  By  following  the  printed  directions  for  reading 
the  per  cent.,  the  results  will  vary  with  the  person  making  the  test.  It  was 
found  that  the  lines  on  the  scale  were  distinctly  visible  to  some,  while 
others  could  not  see  them  until  a  further  comparatively  larger  quantity  of 
water  had  been  added.  This  defect  could  be  remedied  by  using  a  second 
scale  immersed  in  a  milky  fluid  which  could  be  used  as  a  standard  for 
comparison.  The  test  scale  would  show  the  lines  as  they  should  be  seen 
in  the  lactoscope  when  sufficient  water  had  been  added.  Such  a  test 
scale  would  be  far  more  serviceable  than  the  printed  directions  accom- 
panying the  instrument.  The  first  readings  taken  were,  on  an  average,  .75 
per  cent,  lower  than  they  should  have  been,  and  it  required  some  practice 
with  milk  samples  in  which  the  per  cent,  of  fat  was  known  before  the  eye 


i89o.] 


MILK    AND    BUTTER    TESTS. 


295 


could  distinguish  the  proper  point  where  the  further  addition  of  water 
should  be  discontinued. 

The  lactoscope  proved  very  efficient  as  a  simple  means  of  testing 
the  milk  of  individual  cows  in  a  herd. 

The  following  results  were  obtained  at  two  dairys  visited: 

TABLE  SHOWING  TESTS  WITH  THE  LACTOSCOPE. 


First. 

Second. 

No. 

Pounds  of  milk. 

Per  cent,  of  fat. 

No. 

Pounds  of  milk. 

Per  cent,  of  fat. 

i 

5-25 

4-55 

i 

H 

4-35 

2 

6.25 

4 

2 

9-5 

4.10 

3 

I 

4-15 

3 

6 

4.10 

4 

2 

4-25 

4 

7-75 

3-35 

5 

4 

4.25 

5 

16.5 

3-35 

6 

5 

4-30 

6 

6.25 

4-50 

7 

i-5 

4.10 

7 

7 

4-35 

8 

8-5 

2.85 

8 

7-5 

4.10 

9 

1-25 

2.75 

9 

i'5 

4-85 

10 

5-25 

4.10 

10 

8 

4.10 

ii 

1-25 

3.60 

ii 

T"7 

Q       £ 

3.60 

40  £ 

Average. 

3-9° 

&« 

13 

°o 

3 

•35 
4-25 

14 

5-5 

4.10 

15 

4 

4  25 

16 

6 

3-85 

Average. 

4.  10 

COMPARATIVE  TESTS. 

Each  sample  of  milk  was  analyzed  by  the  gravimetric  and  the  Short 
methods  and  was  also  tested  with  the  lactoscope.  The  first  table  com- 
prises a  few  of  a  large  series  of  results  obtained  by  testing  milk  with  the 
lactoscope  and  by  the  Short  test.  The  results  of  the  Short  test  are  used 
as  the  basis  for  comparison.  The  gravimetric  results  were  taken  as 
a  standard  for  comparison  in  the  second  table.  It  will  be  seen  on 
examination  that  the  results  obtained  with  the  Short  test  agree  fairly 
well  with  those  obtained  by  the  gravimetric  method;  the  greatest  variation 
being  .23  per  cent.  The  results  indicated  by  the  lactoscope  are  variable 
throughout. 

TABLE  SHOWflsro  PER  CENT.  OF  BUTTER  FAT  BY  THE  LA.CTOSCOPE  AND  WITH  THE 

SHORT  TEST. 


Lacto- 
scope. 

Short. 

Variation 
fr'm  Short 

Lacto- 
scope. 

Short. 

Variation 
fr'mShort 

Lacto- 
scope. 

Short. 

Variation 
from  Short. 

3-50 

3-70 

—  .2 

3-65 

3-7° 



3.65 

3-75 

—  .1 

-»    8C 
3-88 

3-So 

+  .38 

3.60 

3-75 

-•15 

3-45 

3.60 

—  •15 

4- 

3-85 

+  •15 

3-5° 

3-9° 

—  •4 

3-50 

3.80 

—  •3 

3-35 

3  95 

—  .6 

3-43 

3-75 

—  •32 

3.60 

4- 

—  •4 

3-5° 

3-72 

—  .12 

3-58 

3-5° 

3-50 

3-5° 

3.48 

3-35 

+  -I3 

3-75 

3-35 

f'i' 

3-75 

3-9° 

—  •IS 

3-75 

3-70 

3-95 

3.68 

+.27 

4.20 

.  3-75 

+  •55 

3-85 

3-68 

+:i7 

3-8o 

3-75 

3-75 

3-98 

—  •23 

3-9° 

4-25 

—  •35 

4.20 

3-75 

+  •45 

3-85 

3-75 

+  .1 

296 


BULLETIN    NO.  9. 


{.May, 


TABLE  SHOWING  RESULTS  OF  TESTS  OF  FAT  BY  THE  LACTOSCOPE,  SHORT'S  METHOD, 
AND  THE  GRAVIMETRIC  METHOD. 


Per  cent,  of  fat, 

Sample 
No. 

Specific  gravity. 

Per  cent,  of  fat, 
Lactoscope. 

Per  cent,  of  fat, 
Short's  method. 

gravimetric 
method. 

i 

1.031 

3-75 

3-48 

3  3i 

2 

•0315 

3-25 

3-95 

3.78 

3 

.032 

3 

3-6o 

3-37 

4 

.0318 

3-30 

3-72 

3-67 

5 

.030 

3-75 

3.65 

3-74 

6 

•0315 

3-65 

3-84 

3-72 

7 

.031 

3-50 

3-47 

3-47 

8 

•0315 

3-75 

4.02 

3-91 

9 

•0317 

3-9° 

3.83 

3-71 

10 

.0305 

3.85 

3-8o 

3-68 

ii 

.031 

3-9° 

3-5° 

3-72 

12 

.031 

3-68 

4.18 

4.12 

13 

.0308 

4-iS 

4 

3  98 

H 

.032 

3-5° 

3.82 

3-9° 

15 

.031 

3-88 

3-75 

3.65 

16 

.032 

3.60 

3.8o 

3-65 

Averages. 

3-65 

3.78 

3-7i 

Extreme  variations 

+•44 

+  23 

—•53 

—  .22 

Neither  the  lactoscope  nor  the  Short  test  could  be  used  in  testing  skim 
milk  and  buttermilk,  as  the  readings  of  the  former  are  two  high;  while 
the  Short  test  gives  but  a  trace  of  fat  in  skim  milk,  and  only  a  fraction  of 
the  fat  present  in  buttermilk. 

ACTUAL  YIELD  OF  THE  CHURN  COMPARED  WITH  RESULTS  INDICATED  BY  THE 

SHORT  TEST. 

Through  the  kindness  of  Messrs.  Gurler  Bros.,  of  DeKalb,  111.,  the 
Station  was  afforded  the  opportunity  of  conducting  these  experiments  at 
their  creameries.  The  plan  of  work  adopted  was  in  accordance  with  that 
which  would  be  pursued  were  the  Short  test  used  as  a  means  of  buying 
milk  by  its  actual  fat  value.  The  tests  were  conducted  for  a  period  of 
twenty-two  days;  but  four  days'  tests  were  not  taken  into  consideration, 
because  errors  had  crept  in  to  destroy  the  results  of  the  churn.  (Portions 
of  the  cream  or  of  the  butter  had  been  reserved  and  the  butter  weighed 
with  the  yield  of  the  following  day).  At  DeKalb  and  Shabbona  the  milk 
was  poured  into  the  receiving  cans  until  they  were  about  one-half  to  two- 
thirds  full,  when  it  was  thoroughly  mixed,  sampled,  and  weighed.  Indi- 
vidual samples  were  taken  occasionally  with  the  idea  of  testing  the  milk 
from  each  patron  in  this  manner  at  least  once  a  week.  Two  tests  were 
made  of  each  sample  without  using  more  than  from  thirty  to  forty  testing 
flasks.  At  Malta,  111.,  each  patron's  milk  was  sampled  and  weighed,  and 
but  one  test  made  of  each  sample.  This  gave  a  daily  individual  record 
but  involved  the  use  of  from  sixty  to  seventy  flasks,  while  the  results  were 
not  so  satisfactory  because  the  test  was  not  made  in  duplicate. 

In  order  to  find  the  amount  of  butter  fat  indicated  by  the  test,  the 
weight  of  each  lot  was  multiplied  by  the  per  cent,  of  fat  it  contained  as 


i89o.] 


MILK  AND  BUTTER  TESTS. 


297 


shown  in  testing  the  sample  taken  from  it.     The  sum  of  the  results  thus 
obtained  is  the  weight  of  the  butter  fat  in  the  milk  received  that  day. 

Below  will  be  found  tables,  the  first  of  which  is  a  copy  of  the  daily 
record  kept  at  DeKalb,  Malta,  and  Shabbona,  respectively.  Following 
this  is  a  table  showing  the  weight  of  butter  fat  indicated  daily  by  the 
Short  test,  compared  with  the  actual  weight  of  salted  butter  obtained  in 
churning  the  cream  taken  from  the  milk  of  the  corresponding  day. 

TABLE  SHOWING  PER  CENT.  OF  BUTTER  FAT  FOUND  IN  88  LOTS  OF   MIXED  MILK. 


No.  of 

Pounds  of 

Average 

Lb.  of  but- 

No. of 

Pounds  of 

Average 

Lb.    of  but- 

patr'ns 

milk. 

per  cent. 

ter  fat. 

patr'ns 

milk. 

per  cent. 

ter  fat. 

DeKalb, 

June  if, 

i88g. 

3 

694 

3-35 

23.249 

3 

764 

39° 

29.796 

5 

729 

3.83 

27.920 

4 

804 

3-95 

3I-758 

4 

762 

3-72 

28.346 

3 

777 

3.80 

29.526 

3 

8i5 

3-95 

32  192 

6 

819 

3-89 

3I-859 

3 

78l 

30.459 

5 

723 

3-86 

27.908 

4 

829 

3.80 

3i-502 

7 

745 

3-75 

27-937 

5 

833 

ttMK 

39° 

32.487 

6 

*742 

4.12 

15.120 

2 

775 

3-92 

30.  498 

63 

11,220 

3-83 

430,557 

Malta, 

June  24, 

1889. 

> 

5io 

3-55 

18.105 

63 

3-46 

2.180 

2 

487 

3-50 

17.045 

K 

272 

3-40 

9.248 

£L 

369 

3-9° 

I4-39I 

£L 

30 

3-75 

1.125 

p" 

214 

3-83 

8.196 

p* 

302 

4 

12.080 

£• 

I76 

3-07 

5-403 

s? 

Si 

4.20 

3.402 

n 

214 

325 

9955 

n 

"3 

3-85 

4-350 

B 

245 

3-85 

9-432 

62 

3-75 

2-325 

fr 

254 

4 

10.  1  60 

F 

234 

3-75 

8.875 

31 

332 

3-25 

10.790 

31 

J39 

3-75 

5-212 

B 

446 

3-75 

16.725 

2. 

203 

3-85 

7-8I5 

GO' 

422 

3-55 

14.981 

p" 

96 

3-30 

3.168 

CT* 

n 

54 

3-52 

1.900 

n 
A 

205 

3-70 

7-585 

O. 

3°7 

3-45 

10.591 

cr 

257 

390 

IO.O23 

o" 

34i 

3-4° 

"•594 

x 

fb 

58 

3-85 

2-233 

n 

17 

3-77 

0.641 

P 
o 

337 

382 

12.873 

g 

340 

3-9° 

13.260 

184 

3.60 

6.624 

3" 

20 

3-76 

0.752 

T3 

8- 

H7 

3-75 

5-5'2 

m 

70 

4-75 

3-325 

§ 

252 

3.60 

9.072 

o 

210 

3-50 

7-35° 

5 

3-77 

o.i  88 

24 

3-52 

0.845 

V 

278 

3-75 

10.425 

393 

3-75 

14-737 

e 

205 

3-75 

7.687 

V 

'Jl 

82 

4.40 

3,608 

ST 

210 

3-87 

8.127 

ft 

15° 

3-9° 

5-850 

t/i 
^ 

195 

3-35 

6.532       . 

n 

172 

4.10 

7.052 

Pu 

284 

395 

11.218 

o. 

47 

3-50 

1.645 

en 

n 

245 

3-50 

8-575 

n 

7i 

3-45 

2-449 

•O 

P 

68 

3-87 

2.631 

T3 

• 

278 

3-8o 

10.564 

£> 
S- 

92 

3-75 

3-450 

y 

212 

3-75 

7-950 

ff 

200 

2.80 

5.600 

5. 

cf 

112 

280 

3.60 

4t  p 

4.032 
U*7n? 

•< 

180 

3-85 

6.930 

mOm 

56 

5 

4.08 

•  IU6 

2.284 

60 

11,904 

3-70 

439>38o 

Shabbona, 

>»  3, 

1889. 

6 

869 

3  92 

34.064 

4 

1.093 

3-35 

36.615 

6 

1,072 

3.76 

40.305 

4 

1,  060 

3-55 

37-630 

7 

1,098 

3-45 

37-881 

4 

1,043 

3-75 

39.112 

3 

1,047 

3-68 

38.529 

7 

1,031 

3-75 

38.662 

7 

983 

3.80 

37-354 

_  o    p.  -  — 

7 

1,566 

3-6i 

56.532 

1,031            3.74 

38-559 

61 

11,893 

3.66 

435.243 

Grand  totals  and  average  per  cent 

*     :7*J 

J*  *-"- 

184 

35,017 

3-73 

1.305.180 

*375  pounds  taken  for  cheese. 


298  BULLETIN  NO.  9.  [May, 

TABLE  SHOWING  COMPARISON  OF  SHORT'S  TEST  WITH  YIELD  FROM  THE  CHURN. 


Date. 

Lb.  of  butter  fat 
by  Short's  test. 

Lb.  of  salted  but- 
ter from  churn. 

Per  ct.  yield  above 
or  below  the  test. 

DeK 

Mai 
Shal 

lalb,  Ji 

a, 

bona, 

< 

< 
i 

me  14  

429.385 

423.185 

430.557 
428.783 

431-354 
425-795 
431.885 
429.03 
439-38 
442.52 
444-43 
442.30 
442.30 
437.872 
413.527 
*4i8.o67 
424.692 

455 
442 
415 
438 
437 
432 
438 
443 
460.5 

452 
454-25 
449 
433 
421 
414 

425 
429 

+5-96 
+4-45 
-3.61 
+2.15 
+1.31 
+1.46 
+1.42 
+3-26 
+4.81 
+2.14 

+2.21 

+  I-5I 
—2.  10 

-3-85 
+O.II 

+1.66 

-j-I.OI 

IS. 

17  

18     

iq    . 

2O  

21  

22  

24.  . 

25.  . 

26    

27    . 

28  

July  I 

"     2    

"     3   

"    6  

Average, 

+1.41 

*  This  is  less  than  amount  for  same  day  in  foregoing  table,  since  some  milk  was 
used  for  cheese. 

The  yield  in  churning  is  influenced  by  many  varying  conditions,  such 
as  the  temperature,  the  concentration  of  the  cream,  the  degree  of  acidity, 
and  the  kind  of  fermentation  which  takes  place  in  the  cream.  However, 
the  Short  test  is  trustworthy  and  gives  results  agreeing  quite  well  with  the 
actual  churn  yield.  It  could  well  be  used  as  a  standard  test  in  paying  for 
milk  by  its  actual  butter  value,  as  the  yield  in  excess  of  what  had  been 
indicated  by  the  test  could  be  distributed  proportionately  from  time  to 
time.  Its  adoption  would  offer  an  inducement  for  improving  the  quality 
of  milk  brought  to  the  creamery,  whereas  at  present  the  farmer  can  have 
no  special  object  in  trying  to  raise  the  standard,  knowing  that  he  will  re- 
ceive no  more  for  good  milk  than  for  that  of  an  inferior  quality. 

CHURNING  TESTS. 

At  the  time  of  making  the  tests  comparing  the  results  of  the  Short 
test  with  the  actual  yield  of  butter  in  the  churn,  it  seemed  desirable  to 
interfere  as  little  as  possible  with  the  work  of  the  butter  maker,  in  order 
that  the  results  of  the  churn  might  truly  represent  those  of  daily  practice. 
The  work  of  churning  the  cream  and  working  the  butter  was  conducted 
by  experienced  hands.  The  cream  was  churned  at  a  temperature  begin- 
ning at  58°  F.,  with  the  churn  making  about  45  revolutions  a  minute.  The 
butter  received  two  workings,  the  first  immediately  after  its  removal  from 
the  churn,  at  which  time  it  was  salted,  the  second  after  it  had  stood  in  the 
refrigerator  over  night,  when  it  was  then  reworked,  packed,  and  weighed. 

For  the  purpose  of  locating  the  cause  of  the  variation  in  the  yield  of 
the  churn,  the  cream  was  examined  each  day  during  the  latter  part  of  the 
trial,  and  it  was  found  that  while  the  conditions  of  temperature  and  con- 


1890.] 


MILK    AND    BUTTER    TESTS. 


299 


centration  were  practically  constant,  the  amount  of  acid  that  had  devel- 
oped during  the  ripening  process  varied  considerably. 

By  comparing  the  results  in  the  following  table,  it  will  be  seen  that 
the  churnings  which  fell  below  the  amount  of  butter  fat  indicated  by  the 
test,  were  made  with  cream  in  which  the  per  cent,  of  acidity  was  com- 
paratively l,ow. 

TABLE  SHOWING  CORRESPONDENCE  BETWEEN  ACIDITY  AND  YIELD  OF  BUTTER. 


Date. 

Per  cent.  acid. 

Butter  fat  indicated 
by  test.     Lb. 

Butter  yield. 
Lb. 

Tune  27.  . 

O.72 

442.  30 

AAn 

««     28  

o  36 

442.30 

477 

July      I  .  . 

0.46 

437.87 

421 

««           2  

0.603 

41^.  ^27 

414 

"        3-- 

0.630 

418.067 

42  S 

"        6  

o.<\7 

424.692 

420 

Further  tests  were  therefore  undertaken  at  the  Station,  the  results  of 
which  will  be  found  in  an  accompaning  table,  in  order  to  see  how  the 
degree  of  acidity  affected  the  yield  of  butter. 

The  term  "per  cent,  of  acidity,"  is  used  here  merely  for  convenience, 
and  is  not  to  be  interpreted  as  the  exact  measure  of  the  acid  present,  but 
rather  as  the  lactic  acid  equivalent  of  the  amount  of  alkali  it  took  to  bring 
aboiit  a  neutral  reaction  in  jo  c.c.  of  cream. 

In  each  trial  the  cream  was  thoroughly  mixed,  divided  into  two  equal 
parts  by  weight,  and  allowed  to  ripen  slowly  under  like  conditions  of 
temperature,  a  sample  having  been  reserved  for  analysis.  Tests  of  the 
acidity  of  the  cream  were  made  just  before  the  churning,  which  was  con- 
ducted in  a  small  barrel  churn  at  a  temperature  beginning  at  58°  F.  The 
butter  was  worked  in  the  churn  and  weighed  before  salting.  Both  butter 
and  buttermilk  were  analyzed. 

The  second  half  of  the  cream,  designated  in  the  table  as  b.  was 
allowed  to  stand  until  it  had  become  strongly  acid,  when  it  was  churned 
under  the  same  conditions  that  had  been  observed  in  churning  the  first 
portion,  a. 

It  will  be  seen  on  examination  of  the  table  that  for  the  temperature 
employed  in  these  trials,  there  was  a  large  difference  in  butter  yield  in  all 
cases  where  the  first  half  of  the  cream  had  been  churned  before  it  had 
attained  an  acidity  of  .5  per  cent. 

TABLE  SHOWING  INCREASE  OF  ACIDITY  AND  YIELD  OF  BUTTER. 


No.  of 

trial. 

Per  cent,  of  acidity 
in  a. 

Per  cent,  of  acidity 
in  b. 

Increase  of  yield,  b 
more  than  a.,  per  ct. 

6 
»5 

20 

.466 
.460 
•45° 

•835 
.6?o 

•570 

18.28 

"•39 
10,53 

As  the  per  cent,  of  acidity  increases  in  the  first  half  of  the  cream,  the 
difference  in  the  butter  yield  of  a  and  b  gradually  decreases. 


300 


BULLETIN    NO.  9. 


{May, 


When  a  has  attained  .65  per  cent,  of  acid,  but  a  slight  increase  is  ob- 
tained by  further  ripening  of  the  cream;  while  at  .7  per  cent,  the  differ- 
ence disappears. 

It  was  found  that  the  lactic  fermentation  proceeded  rapidly  until  the 
cream  had  attained  about  .82  per  cent,  of  acid,  and  that  when  this  state  was 
reached  other  fermentations  seemed  to  take  place  so  that  the  cream  could 
not  be  kept  without  danger  of  spoiling. 

TABLE  SHOWING  YIELDS  OF  BUTTER  FROM  CREAM  OF  DIFFERENT  DEGREES    OF 

ACIDITY. 


Date. 

* 

o 

o 
i-»> 

**. 
S] 

Ounces,  cream. 

8? 

o 

n 

3 

p 
o 

oi 

X 

Ounces,  butter. 

Per  cent,  increase. 

Analysis. 

a? 

•I 

r*    0 

n  n 

5  3 
3  r*- 

P=P- 

cr 
e 

•T3 
ni 
1-1 

o 

n 

3 

k" 

o 

l-l 
n 
P 

Temperature  begin- 
ning, F. 

Temperature  end- 
ing, F. 

1  Time  of  churning, 
1  minutes. 

p 
n 

~! 

*J 

** 
n 
p 

July  17 
"     18 
"     19 
"    20 
"    23 
"    25 
"    24 
«    25 

"    27 
"    29 
"    27 
"    29 
'    29 
'    3° 

A"    3I 

Aug.  2 

"     3 

!!  5 

"     6 
'     9 

'     10 

1     9 

'     10 
'     10 
'     12 
'     12 

'     13 
'     12 

'     '3 
'     H 
'     15 
'    24 
'    27 
'       I 

'     3 

'       2 

'     3 

'    14 
'    H 

'     6 
'     6 

'     6 
'     6 

I' 

h 
< 

h 

6 

7 
8 

h 
- 

[13 
[14 
15 

16 
17 

.8 

20- 

26 

1 

IO 

II 
-19 

u. 

28 

[J 

!J 

u 

I* 

\a 
//' 

|J 
I 

<! 
b 

a 
b 

ii 

a 

b 
a 

b 
a 
b 
a 
b 
a 
b 

; 
i 

a 

b 
a 
b 
a 

b 

\ 

J 

a 
t 

I76 
I76 
160 
160 
290.5 
2905 
203 
203 
232 
232 
122.5 
122.5 
99 
99 

101 
101 
112 
112 
I32 
I32 
1  08 

108 
117 
117. 
118 
118 
116 
116 
1  08 
108 
116.5 
116.5 
137-5 
137-5 
1  06 
106 

122 
122 

"7-5 

"7-5 
130 
130 
"5 
"5 

•50 
.808 

•585 
.810 

•789 
•834 
.567 
.78l 
.466 
-835 
•5°4 
.81 
.661 
.786 
.615 
.778 
.677 
.783 
•505 
.789 

•569 
.7OO 
.46 

.68 
.560 

•753 
.520 
.670 
•527 
•753 
•45° 
.670 

•785 
•570 
.820 

•499 
.782 
.81 

2.384 
.680 
1.080 

•775 
1.175 

38 

42.2 

37-5 
40-5 
72-5 
72-25 

43-75 
47-25 
46-5 
55 
24-5 
27-75 
23 
23.25 

23-5 
24 
27-5 
28.25 

25-5 
27.25 

23 
25 
1975 

22 
21.5 
22 

19 
I9.25 

20 

19 

21 
26-5 
26 

24.5 
26 

25-5 
29.5 

20 
2O.25 
28.5 

29 
26.5 
26 

11.05 

"s" 

o-34 

"g  " 
18.28 
13.26 

14.42 
15.96 
14.90 
14.29 

15-53 
I4.8I 
14.02 

13  94 
14-5° 
15.60 
14.70 
13.09 
16.86 
14.67 
15.61 
14.21 
16.81 
15-32 
14.89 

13.15 

14.01 

13  37 
14.80 
14.16 
15-37 
13-45 
13-94 
13-57 
14.66 

14-37 
12.79 

13-54 
16.74 
17.12 
14.78 
19  96 
15-89 

21  .91 

85-58 
84.04 
85.10 

85-71 
84.47 
85.19 
85.98 
86.06 
85.50 
84  40 
85.30 
86.91 
83.14 
85-33 
84-39 
85.79 
83.19 
84.68 
85.11 
86-85 
85.99 
86.63 
85.20 
85.84 
84.63 

86-55 
86.06 

86.43 
85.34 
85.63 
87.21 
86.46 
83-36 
82.88 
85.22 
80.04 
84.11 
78.09 





58° 

58° 
58C 
58° 
55° 
55° 
58° 
58° 
58° 
5|° 

58° 
58° 
580 
58° 
58° 
58° 

58  o 

58° 
58° 
58° 
58° 
58° 
580 
580 
580 

58° 
58° 
58° 
58° 
58° 
580 
580 
580 

58= 
580 

58° 
58° 
58° 
58° 
58° 
58° 
58° 
58° 

58° 

68° 

66° 

52 

21 

30 

2I 
56 

55 
32 
30 
43 
4i 
33 
26 
16 

H 
20 

14 
26 
20 
27 
27 
25 
23 
IS 
»7 
20 

21 

2O 
19 
15 

18 

22 

18 

17 
17 
19 
15 
23 
21 

'26' 

63° 
64° 
64° 



65° 

69° 
67-5° 

2.015 
1.44 
i-55 
-835 
1.015 

21.075 
21    075 
22.01 
22.01 

65° 
64° 
65° 
63° 
65° 
64° 
64° 
64° 
63-5° 
64° 

63°'" 

64-5° 

1.09 

2.12 
2-73 

2-955 
1.560 
2.48 

i-35 
2.80 
.782 
i  .96 

•951 
2.31 

i-73 
2.19 

1.  10 

i  25 

2.23 
3.804 

1.  21 

I-3I 
2-235 
1.23 

19.67 
19.67 
20.85 
20.85 

8.82 

8.69 

"•39 

16.40 
16.40 
16.59 
16.59 
17.94 
17-94 

2-33 

1.32 

63° 
65° 
63° 
65° 
65° 
64° 

ii.  ii 

10.53 
1.92 

21  .40 

21  .40 

20-99 
20.99 

15.18 

15.18 

6.12 

65° 
63° 
63° 
64° 

65'°'" 
64° 
64° 
66° 

15.69 

1.25 

i-75 
1.92 

1890.]  MILK  AND  BUTTER  TESTS.  30! 

In  the  churning  made  at  DeKalb,  the  cream  was  divided  into  two 
portions.  One-half  was  churned  sweet  at  a  temperature  of  55°  F.,  while 
the  second  half  was  allowed  to  ripen,  when  it  was  churned  at  60°  F.  The 
yield  of  the  sweet  cream  churning  was  but  little  below  that  of  the  ripened 
cream,  as  seen  below. 

In  order  to  try  the  effect  of  larger  quantities  of  acid  on  the  yield  of 
butter,  in  trials  19,  27,  and  28,  the  cream  was  allowed  to  ripen,  when  one- 
half,  a,  was  churned  as  usual,  but  the  second  half,  b,  was  acidified  with 
acetic  acid  previous  to  churning.  In  two  cases  there  was  a  slight  increase 
over  the  yield  of  a;  in  the  third,  b  gave  a  smaller  yield  than  a.  It  would 
seem,  therefore,  that  a  higher  degree  of  acidity  than  .7  to  .8  per  cent, 
would  not  materially  affect  the  yield  of  butter,  while  it  would  be  highly 
dangerous  to  the  quality  to  allow  the  cream  to  stand  after  it  had  reached 
that  point. 

On  the  other  hand,  in  using  the  churning  temperature  of  58°  F. 
(60°  F.  in  winter),  a  regular  increase  in  the  yield  is  observed  as  the  cream 
ripens,  until  the  latter  has  acquired  about  .7  per  cent,  of  acid. 

The  analyses  of  the  buttermilk  and  of  the  butter  from  each  churning 
showed  that  there  was  more  fat  left  in  the  buttermilk  from  a  than  in  that 
from  b,  and  that  the  quality  of  the  butter  in  churning  the  cream  sour  was 
superior  to  that  obtained  from  the  corresponding  portion  that  had  been 
churned  with  a  smaller  per  cent,  of  acid.  Exceptions  to  this  statement  were 
found  in  trials  10,  n,  2,  20,  and  26.  In  the  two  trials  10  and  n,  the 
cause  of  this  variation  was  explained  by  the  fact  that  the  cream  b  in  each 
case  had  spoiled.  A  different  fermentation  had  set  in  after  the  cream  had 
ripened,  which  was  highly  detrimental  to  the  quality  of  the  butter.  In 
trials  2,  20,  and  26,  the  difference  in  the  quality  of  the  butter  was  not  so 
marked  as  in  the  two  foregoing  cases,  but  it  was  probably  caused  by  the 
same  detrimental  fermentations.  [See  table  on  page  300.] 

*CHURNING  SWEET  CREAM. 

In  connection  with  churning  sweet  cream,  a  method  has  been  pro- 
posed by  Prof.  John  A.  Myers,  of  the  West  Virginia  Station,  in  which  the 
fat  in  the  buttermilk  is  recovered  by  means  of  the  centrifugal  machine. 
At  the  request  of  Professor  Morrow,  a  few  tests  were  conducted  in  order 
to  find  how  much  fat  could  be  recovered  in  this  manner. 

Sweet  cream  churned  at  the  same  temperature  as  sour,  would  give  a 
poor  yield  of  butter,  leaving  a  large  per  cent,  of  fat  in  the  buttermilk. 
It  has  been  found  that  the  best  churning  temperature  for  sweet  cream  is 
from  51°  to  55°  F.,  when  all  but  a  few  per  cent,  of  the  butter  fat  can  be  re- 
covered. 


[*This  sweet  cream  butter  was  sold  at  a  considerable  loss,  the  dealers  objecting  to  it.  It  has  been  sug- 
gested that  the  coloring  matter  used  may  have  had  some  effect,  the  flavor  of  the  butter  being  much  more 
mild  than  that  of  butter  made  from  acid  cream.  It  may  have  been,  however,  that  the  claim  of  inferior 
quality  rested  only  on  the  fact  that  the  flavor  of  the  butter  did  not  suit  tastes  educated  to  prefer  a  sharper 
and  more  distinct  flavor.  — G.  E.  MORROW.] 


302 


4  BULLETIN  xo.  9.  \_May, 

TABLE  COMPARING  YIELDS  FROM  SWEET  AND  SOUR  CREAM. 


No. 

Lb.  butter  per 
100  Ib.  milk 
sour  cream. 

Per  cent,  fat 
in  butter- 
milk. 

Lb.  butter  per 
loolb.  milk 
sweet  cream. 

Per  cent,  fat 
in  butter- 
milk. 

Per  cent,  loss 
in  churn, 
sweet  cream. 

i 

4.OS 

1.  17 

2 

3 

4.38 
4-35 

.41 
-51 

4.19 
4.22 

.72 
.69 

4-35 
2.99 

The  sweet  cream  buttermilk  was  run  through  the   separator,  but  no 
fat  could  be  recovered  in  this  manner. 

"ALBERT  G.  MANNS,   Chemist" 


THE  COMPARATIVE  VALUE  OF  CORN-FODDER  AND  ENSI- 
LAGE IN  FEEDING  YEARLING  HEIFERS. 

Experiment  No.  99. 

This  experiment  was  conducted  with  a  view  of  determining,  so  far  as 
one  experiment  may,  the  comparative  value  of  corn  (stalk  and  ear), when 
field-cured  for  corn-fodder  and  when  made  into  ensilage,  in  the  production 
of  live  increase  in  cattle.  For  this  purpose  four  yearling  heifers  were  fed 
all  they  would  eat  of  corn-fodder  and  four  others  of  a  similar  character 
were  fed  ensilage,  the  grain  and  hay  eaten  by  both  lots  being  alike.  Dur- 
ing the  weeks  following,  both  lots  were  fed  corn-fodder. 

It  was  found  that  the  gain  in  weight  of  both  lots  was  practically 
identical  for  the  whole  period,  although  slightly  in  favor  of  the  heifers 
fed  field-cured  corn-fodder. 

The  heifers  fed  ensilage  ate  more  and  required  more  water- free  sub- 
stance to  make  a  pound  of  increase  than  those  fed  corn-fodder.  The 
former,  however,  ate  a  larger  percentage  of  the  food  given  them,  so  that  a 
part  of  the  extra  amount  which  they  ate  was  wasted. 

Three  theories  may  be  advanced  to  account  for  the  fact  that  the 
heifers  fed  ensilage  required  more  pounds  of  water-free  food  to  make  a 
pound  of  increase. 

1.  The  analyses  made  by  Mr.  Farrington  (these  are  to  be  found  on  pp. 
316  to  320)  show  that  the  character  of  the  protein  in  the  corn-fodder  had 
been  considerably  changed   by  ensilaging.     Protein  is  divided  into  two 
forms,  albuminoid  and  non-albuminoid.     It  is  generally  held  that  the  for- 
mer only,  of  all  the  food  elements,  can  produce  muscle.     The  analyses, 
therefore,  show  that  the  muscle-forming  nutrients  had  been  reduced  33 
per  cent,  in  the  ensilage. 

2.  About  seven  pounds  more  water  was  consumed  daily  by  each  heifer 
fed  ensilage  than  by  those  fed  corn-fodder.     There  is  every  presumption 
that  the  heifers  fed  corn-fodder  had  all  the  water  that  they  required  for 


1890.] 


COMPARATIVE    VALUE    OF    CORN- FODDER    AND    ENSILAGE. 


3°3 


healthy  growth.  It  has  been  shown  *  experimentally  that  an  excessive  use 
of  water  is  harmful.  As  the  heifers  fed  ensilage  gained  no  more  than  the 
others,  seven  pounds  of  water  or  other  substance  had  to  be  eliminated  daily 
from  the  system.  This  required  extra  work  of  the  excretory  organs. 
This  work  used  up  food. 

It  is  not  at  all  improbable  that  more  water  would  be  evaporated  from 
the  skin.  About  sixteen  times  as  much  heat  is  rendered  latent  when  water 
is  evaporated  at  the  temperature  of  the  body,  as  is  required  to  raise  the 
same  quantity  from  freezing  to  the  temperature  of  the  body.1  This  heat 
requires  fuel  (food)  to  produce  it.  The  evaporation  of  water  from  the 
skin  is  one  of  nature's  methods  of  maintaining  a  uniform  temperature  of 
the  body.  Much  less  water  is  required  in  cold  than  in  warm  weather. 

3.  It  has  been  suggested  by  a  German  investigator,  H.  Weiske,  that  in- 
asmuch as  the  ensilage  relaxes  the  bowels,  all  the  food  given  passes 
through  the  animal  more  quickly,  and  hence  less  is  digested2. 

The  relative  digestibility  of  field-cured  and  ensilaged  fodders,  how- 
ever, is  still  unsettled.  3Sturtevant  and  4Woll  found  ensilage  more  digesti- 
able  than  fodder.  8Weiske  found  esparcet  more  digestible  than  the  same 
ensilaged.  Recently  6Armsby  has  reported  a  carefully  conducted  experi- 
ment in  which  he  found  corn-fodder  more  digestible  than  ensilage. 

Details  of  the  experiment  follow. 

THE  ANIMALS  USED. 

Eight  yearling  heifers  were  used  in  this  test.  All  were  out  of  thor- 
oughbred Shorthorn  cows,  and  all  but  one,  No.  8,  were  sired  by  the  Short- 
horn bull,  Royal  Butterfly  83,410.  The  following  table  gives  the  name, 
date  of  birth,  dam,  and  sire  of  each. 

TABLE  SHOWING  CHARACTER  OF  ANIMALS. 


No. 

Name  of  animal. 

Date  of  birth. 

Dam. 

Sire. 

i 

2 

3 
4 

6 

7 
8 

Duchess  of  York  
Bloomanthe  
Queen  Mary  

Sept.  17,  1  8 
Sept.  19, 
Oct.    14, 

88... 

Duchess  of  York  2  1st 
Bloomanthe  4th  .... 
§ueen  Mary  8th..  .  . 
ueen  Mary  ilth.  .  . 
Sharon  Pearlette  2d. 
Grace  3d        

Royal  Butt 
A  grade  S 

erfly  83410 
lorthorn. 

Queen  Mary  
Sharon  Pearlette  
Grace  

Nov.     i, 
Oct.      i, 
Dec.  22, 

... 

Grace  
Grace  

Sept.  10, 
June  20, 

Grace  6th  

Queen  Mary  I5th.  .  . 

Digestible  substance. 

Protein.         Fibre.         Nitrogen-free  extract. 
72.50  42.16  78.29 

50.25  28.77  53-2o 

-25  13.39  25.09 


*  Armsby's  Manual  of  Cattle  Feeding,  3d  Edition,  p.  135. 

1.  Ganot's  Physics,  tenth  addition,  p.  309. 

2.  Jour,  fur  Landw.,  33,  §  82. 

Organic. 

"  Green  esparcet 66.35 

Ensilage  esparcet 44-93 

Difference 21.42 

A  reason  for  this  bad  use  of  ensilage  may  lie  in  this;  that  this  lodder,  on  account  of  its  sour  condition, 
accelerates  the  peristaltic  movements  of  the  intestines  and  thus  causes  a  quicker  passage  of  the  fodder 
through  the  digestive  apparatus,  so  that  a  sufficient  solution  and  resorption  of  the  nutrients  cannot  take 
place. 

3  Third  Report,   New  York  Experiment  Station,  1884,  pp.  26-49. 

4  Fifth  Report,  Wisconsin  Experiment  Station,  1888,  pp.  56-61;  6th  Report,  1889,  pp.  69-122. 

5  Jour,  fur  Landw.  25,  170. 

6  Penn.  Experiment  Station,  bulletin  No.  9,  October,    1889. 


304  BULLETIN  NO.  9.  \_May, 

They  were  divided  into  two  lots  with  reference  to  their  weight  and  sup- 
posed feeding  quality,  as  judged  by  appearance  and  past  experience  in 
feeding  them.  Heifers  i  to  4  were  fed  corn  fodder,  and  heifers  5  to  8  were 
fed  ensilage.  They  were  a  thrifty  and  fairly  even  bunch,  well  adapted 
to  the  work  in  hand,  except  possibly  in  age  and  consequent  lack  of  size. 

FOOD  GIVEN  AND  EATEN. 

During  two  weeks,  December  23,  1889,  to  January  6,  1890,  while  the 
heifers  were  getting  accustomed  to  their  quarters,  they  were  each  fed 
daily  six  pounds  of  middlings  and  one  feed  of  both  corn  fodder  and 
and  ensilage. 

The  time  covered  by  the  feeding  test  was  84  days,  January  6  to 
March  31,  1890,  and  may  be  divided  into  three  periods  as  follows: 

Period  i,  January  6th  to  January  3oth 24  days. 

Period  2,  January  3Oth  to  March   loth 39  days. 

Period  3,  March  loth  to  March  3ist   21  days. 

The  duration  of  the  first  two  periods  was  controlled  by  the  supply  of 
ensilage. 

During  the  three  periods  each  heifer  had  six  pounds  of  crushed 
oats  daily,  and  each  pair  (heifers  i  and  2,  3  and  4,  etc.),  had  four  pounds 
of  clover  hay  daily.  With  the  exception  of  the  first  day  or  two,  all  given 
of  both  oats  and  hay  was  eaten. 

During  period  i,  heifers  i  to  4,  were  fed  corn  fodder  from  Burrell 
and  Whitman  ensilage  corn,  and  heifers  5  to  8  were  fed  ensilage  from  the 
same.  During  period  2,  heifers  i  to  4  were  fed  corn  fodder  from  Burr's 
white  corn,  and  heifers  5  to  8  were  fed  ensilage  from  the  same;  and  dur- 
ing period  3,  all  were  fed  corn-fodder  from  Burr's  white  corn. 

Growing  and  Harvesting  the  Corn.  The  four  acres  used  for  grow- 
ing the  corn  had  been  in  meadow  for  several  years,  and  in  the  spring  75 
loads  of  stable  manure  were  put  on  it.  May  18,  1889,  it  was  planted  with 
an  ordinary  two-horse  corn-planter  drill  in  rows  3  ft.  8  in.  apart.  The 
stubs  on  an  acre  of  each  variety  were  counted  after  the  corn  was  removed. 
In  the  Burr's  white  there  was  one  stalk  every  13  inches,  and  in  the  Burrell 
and  Whitman,  the  stalks  were  about  one  inch  further  apart. 

Both  acres  of  Burr's  white  were  cut  September  24th  to  26th,  and 
both  acres  of  Burrell  and  Whitman  ensilage  corn,  September  25th  to  28th. 
One  acre  of  each  variety  was  cut  up  (about  inch  lengths)  and  put  into  a 
silo,  and  one  acre  of  each  was  shocked  and  left  standing  in  the  field  until 
wanted.  The  respective  acres  from  which  the  corn -fodder  and  ensilage 
were  made  lay  side  by  side  and  were  2x80  rods. 

At  the  time  of  cutting,  the  ears  of  Burr's  white  were  mostly  glazed, 
the  lower  leaves  were  beginning  to  get  dry,  and  occasionally  the  husks 
were  dry.  The  ears  of  Burrell  and  Whitman  corn  were  largely  in  the 
milk  and  the  leaves  and  husks  were  green.  At  this  time  one  hundred 
pounds  of  stalks  of  each  variety  was  taken  as  cut,  and  the  following 
items  ascertained.  The  stalks  were  cut  about  15  in.  high. 


1890.]  COMPARATIVE   VALUE    OF    CORN-FODDER   AND    ENSILAGE.  305 

Burr's  white  Burrell  and  Whitman 

ensilage  corn. 

Height  of  stalks 7  ft.  9  in.  8  ft.  8  in. 

Number  of  nodes 1 1  13 

Number  of  stalks 47  34 

Number  of  ears 42  29 

Pounds  of  ears 32-5  I9-S 

Pounds  of  bare  stalks 32.5  36.5 

Pounds  of  leaves  and  husks 34.5  43 

The  corn-fodder  was  hauled  from  the  field  twice  a  week,  and  run 
through  the  feed  cutter  in  the  same  manner  as  the  green  corn  which  had 
previously  been  put  into  the  silo.  Each  time  the  required  quantity  was 
cut  it  was  put  into  a  compartment  of  a  comparatively  tight  box,  and  another 
compartment  was  filled  with  ensilage  from  the  silo.  This  quantity  served 
three  or  four  days.  This  method  was  necessitated  by  the  burning  of  the 
experiment  barn  and  silo  in  September,  1889.  Little  difficulty  was  ex- 
perienced in  keeping  either  the  ensilage  or  corn-fodder  in  this  way.  No 
selection  of  shocks  or  fodder  was  made.  The  shocks  were  taken  one 
after  another,  each  in  its  turn,  and  all  of  every  shock  was  used.  As  in 
feeding  only  four  heifers,  the  ensilage  would  not  be  removed  fast  enough 
to  keep  the  exposed  surfaces  fresh,  ensilage  was  fed  regularly  to  other 
stock.  Any  that  was  rotten  or  otherwise  spoiled  was  rejected.  The  waste 
in  the  silo  this  season,  from  this  cause,  may  be  roughly  estimated  at  10 
per  cent. 

METHOD  OF  FEEDING. 

The  daily  routine  was  about  as  follows: 

6:30  a.  m.,  removed  and  weighed  corn-fodder  and  ensilage  left  uneaten  from  pre- 
vious evening  feed. 

7  a.  m.,  fed  crushed  oats. 

7:30  to  8  a.  m.,  fed  corn-fodder  and  ensilage. 

9  to  10  a.  m.,  weighed  animals,  removed  and  weighed  corn-fodder  and  ensilage  not 
eaten,  and  watered  in  stall. 

10  a.  m.,  to  3:30  p.  m.,  heifers  ran  in  a  small  lot,  during  which  time  clover  hay  was 
placed  in  mangers. 

3:30  to  4  p.  m.,  stabled  and  watered. 

4  to  4:30  p.  m.,  fed  crushed  oats. 

5  to  6  p.  m.,  fed  corn-fodder  and  ensilage. 

Period  i.  During  period  one,  January  6-30,  1890,  heifers  i  to  4 
were  each  given  12  pounds  daily  (5  Ib.  in  the  morning  and  7  Ib.  in  the 
evening)  of  Burrell  and  Whitman  corn-fodder,  and  heifers  5  to  8  were 
each  given  from  January  6th  to  January  i5th,  25  pounds  (10  in  the  morn- 
ing and  15  in  the  evening),  of  Burrell  and  Whitman  corn  ensilage;  from 
January  isth  to  27th,  28  pounds  (12  in  the  morning  and  16  in  the  even- 
ing); and  from  January  27th  to  3oth,  30  pounds  (13  in  the  morning  and 
17  in  the  evening). 

The  constant  aim  was  to  give  each  animal  the  same  quantity  of 
crushed  oats,  and  each  pair  the  same  quantity  of  clover  hay,  and  to  allow 
each  animal  all  the  corn-fodder  or  ensilage  it  would  eat,  though  recogniz- 
ing that  with  full  feeding  some  of  the  coarser  parts  of  each  would  not  be 
eaten. 


306 


BULLETIN    NO.  9. 


[May, 


The  following  table  gives  the  number  of  pounds  of  corn-fodder  and 
ensilage  eaten  by  each  animal  each  day  during  period  i. 

TABLE  SHOWING  POUNDS  OF  CORN-FODDER  AND  ENSILAGE  EATEN. 


Date. 

Corn  fodder. 

Ensilage. 

I 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

Jan.  6  

*3-75 
6.25 

7-75 
6-75 
6.50 
7.00 
8.50 
6.50 
6.25 
6.50 

5-75 
6.00 
6.00 
7.25 

7-75 
6.25 
6.25 
5-75 
6-75 
6.50 
8.50 
7-25 
7-75 
7-75 
t3-25 

*5-25 
9-75 
10.25 

IO.OO 

9-75 
10.50 

10.75 
8.00 
7.00 
8.00 
8.25 
9.00 
8.25 
8.00 
8-75 
9-5o 
9-25 
10.25 

9-25 
8-75 
10.25 

9-25 
8-75 
8.25 
t4-5o 

*4-5 
6.25 

7-75 
6.25 
8.00 
7-5o 

7-75 
8.00 
6.50 
7-75 
7-75 
8.00 
8.00 
7-5° 
7-25 
7-75 
7-75 
8-75 
8-75 
9.00 

8-75 
9.00 

7-25 
9.00 

t3-75 

*4.oo 
5-50 
6.25 

6-75 
6.25 

7-75 
7-50 
7-50 
4.00 
6.00 
5-50 
5.00 

5-25 

I'75 
6.25 

5-75 
6.25 
6.50 

5-75 
4.00 

4-75 
7.00 

7-5o 
5-50 
•(•2.50 

*i3-25 
23-25 
24.50 
25.00 
23.00 
24.00 

21-75 
24.50 
25.00 
26.00 
27.25 
26  50 
27.50 
27.00 
28.00 
27.50 

27-75 
28.00 
26.50 
23-50 
25.00 
28.25 
29.50 
30.00 
1-12.50 

*io.75 
20.50 
22.00 
23-50 

21-75 
20.25 
20.25 
22.00 

21.00 
22.5O 
22.75 
22.0O 

23-75 
22.00 
28.00 
26.75 
25.25 
26.OO 
25.00 
27.50 
24.50 
27.50 
29.50 
26.OO 
fll.25 

*8.75 
16.75 
22.00 

24-75 
23.00 
25.00 
24.00 

2475 
25.00 
26.00 
27.00 
28.00 
26.50 
26.00 
25.50 
28.00 
28.00 

27-75 
28.00 

27-75 
27.25 

28.75 
30.00 
28.75 
•(•12.50 

*io-75 
20.50 
22.75 
21-75 

21.00 
I7-25 
17-75 
22.00 
22.75 
21.50 

21-75 

21.00 

21-75 
18.25 
2O.OO 
23.00 
21.25 
20.50 

23-25 

22.75 

16.75 
20-75 
21.00 

16.00 

flO.25 

«     7  

«    8  

"      Q... 

"  10.. 

«•  ii  

"    12.     . 

"    H... 

"    14... 

'  is  . 

«  ii.::  . 

*    17  .. 

«  18  . 

'    IQ.. 

«    2O.  . 

<  21  
'   22.  . 

'   23.  .  , 

'   24..  . 

'    2<;.  . 

'26.     .  .     . 

«   27  

"   28.       ... 

"    20.  .  . 

"    10. 

T't'l,24d'y8 

164.00 

219.50 

188.50 

144-75 

625.00 

572.25 

6i9-75 

496.25 

'Evening  feed  only. 


tMorning  feed  only. 


Three  samples  of  Burrell  and  Whitman  corn-fodder  and  ensilage  were 
taken  (December  27th,  January  2d,  and  January  3d)  and  the  percentage  of 
water  determined  in  each.  The  corn-fodder  contained  an  average  of  40.4 
per  cent,  and  the  ensilage,  75.1  per  cent,  of  water.  The  high  percentage 
of  water  in  the  corn-fodder  was  due  to  the  excessive  rains  which  con- 
tinued through  this  period,  the  rainfall  for  January,  1890,  being  5.26  in., 
while  the  normal  for  central  Illinois  during  ten  years  is  only  1.54  in.,  for 
January. 

The  following  table  gives  the  quantity  of  fresh  and  water-free  sub- 
stance given  and  eaten  in  the  corn-fodder  and  ensilage  per  day  per  animal, 
and  the  per  cent,  eaten.  In  this  case,  in  estimating  the  water-free  sub- 
stance eaten,  it  is  assumed  that  the  quantity  eaten  contains  the  same  per- 
centage of  water  as  that  given.  This  involves  an  error,  for  Mr.  Farring- 
ton's  analyses,  made  during  period  2,  show  that  the  portion  eaten  contains 
a  less  percentage  and  that  not  eaten  a  larger  percentage  of  water  than  the 
total  quantity  given. 

Period  I.  January  6th  to  3oth,  24  days,  the  corn- fodder  and  ensilage 
fed  per  day  per  animal,  was: 

Corn-fodder. 
Fresh.  Water-free. 

Pounds  given 12  7. 15 

Pounds  eaten 7.46  4.45 


Per  cent,  eaten 62.2 


62.2 


Ensilage. 

Fresh.  Water-free. 

27.1  6.75 

24.25  6.04 

89.5  89.5 


COMPARATIVE  VALUE  OF  CORN-FODDER  AND  ENSILAGE. 


3°7 


The  total  quantity  of  food  eaten  per  day  per  animal,  during  period  i  was: 

Heifers  fed  corn-fodder. 
Fresh.  Water-free. 

Ib. 


Heifers  fed  ensilage . 

Fresh.  Water-free. 

lb.  lb. 


24.25 
6 

2 


32.25 


6.04 

5-19 
1.64 

12.87 


Corn-fodder  or  ensilage 7.46 

Crushed  oats 6 

Clover  hay 2 

Total  per  animal 15-46 

Total  per  1,000  lb.  live  wt 

Period  2.  During  period  2,  January  3oth  to  March  loth,  heifers  i  to 
4  were  each  given  12  pounds  daily  (5  lb.  in  the  morning  and  7  lb.  in  the 
evening)  of  Burr's  white  corn-fodder,  and  heifers  5  to  8  were  each  given  30 
pounds  (13  in  the  morning  and  17  in  the  evening)  of  Burr's  white  ensilage. 

The  following  table  gives  the  number  of  pounds  of  corn-fodder  and 
ensilage  eated  by  each  animal  each  day  during  period  2. 

TABLE  SHOWING  POUNDS  OF  CORN-FODDER  AND  ENSILAGE  EATEN. 


Date. 

Corn-fodder. 

Ensilage. 

i 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

Tan.  30   .  . 

*4-75 
8-5 
9.25 

8-75 
9 
9 
9-5 
9-5 
9-5 

10.25 
8-75 
8-5 

10 

9-5 
9-25 
9.25 

8-75 
9-75 
9-75 
9-5 
9-5 
8.25 

9 

b 

i25 

8-75 
8.25 

7-75 
9-25 

10 

9-25 
8.25 

7-75 
9.25 

7-75 

& 

*5-5 
9-75 

10 

8-75 
9-75 
9-5 
10.25 

9 
10.5 

9-25 
9-75 
9-5 
9-5 
10.5 
10.75 
9-75 
9-5 
10.25 
10.25 
10.25 
9-5 
7-75 
9-25 
9-5 
9-25 
7-75 
8-75 
10.5 
10.5 

10 

9.25 

IO 

10.25 

9 
9.25 

8-5 
7-75 

10 

t4 

*5-75 

IO 

9-25 
9-25 
9-5 
10.25 
10.25 
10.25 

10 

10.25 
10.25 
9-75 

10 

9-75 

IO 

10.25 

10 

9-25 
10.25 
10.25 
9-75 
9-5 
9-5 
9-5 
9-5 
9 

10 

9-5 

10 

8-75 
9-75 

IO 

9-5 
9-75 
9 

8-5 
8-75 
9.25 

t4 

*2-75 
6-75 
6.25 

8-75 
6.25 

I'75 

6.25 
5-75 
7-75 
7 
7 
6.75 

7 
8-5 
7-5 
7-5 

l:s 

7-75 
7-75 
7-25 
7.25 
6.75 
7-25 
7 
8 
8 
7-75 
7-75 
7-5 
7 
5-75 
7-75 
6.50 

6-75 

I75 
f2-5 

*i6.75 

27-75 
28.25 

27-75 
28 

21-5 
23-75 

3 

25-5 
20.25 
19.25 
20.75 
23-5 
27-5 
25-25 
23.25 
20.00 

23-5 
26 

27-5 
27-5 

2Q 

s5 

*H 

27 
27-75 
22.25 

26-75 
27-5 
27-5 
26.75 
21.25 
20.75 
22.5 
20.25 
17-75 

t8 

*i6.75 

23-75 
26.5 
20.75 
24-75 
17-5 
20 

27-75 
23-5 
27-5 
24.25 
20.75 
18.75 
24 
25 
H 
16.25 

15 
19 
16.5 
17.25 
22.25 
24.25 
22.75 
20.75 
26.25 
22.75 
22.75 
24-75 
28.5 
28 
26 
25-25 
13 
21-75 
26.75 
26.50 
24-5 

i24 
fia 

*i6.oo 
30 
30 
29-75 
30 

27-75 
28 
29.75 
30 
30 
30 
28.5 

29-75 
30 
30 
29-75 
29.5 
28.25 
30 
30 
30 
30 
30 
30 
28.5 
30 
30 
30 
30 
30 
30 
30 
29-75 
30 
30 
29.5 

29-5 
29-75 
29 

t'3 

*i2-75 
20.25 

21-75 
22.25 
20.75 
17-25 
7-75 
23 
23 
22.5 

22.2 

17-75 
21 

24 
25-5 
25.25 
22-5 
21.5 

23-5 
26.5 

27.25 
25-75 
23-75 
22-5 
22.25 
23-5 
24-75 
21 

18 

22.25 
23-75 
23-75 
22 
18.75 
20.75 

16 
19-75 
13 

14-25 
t9-75 

"     31  

Feb.    i   

<       2  

«       3.. 

«       4    . 

«     5  

«     6  

«    7  

'     8  

'     q.  . 

'10       

'   ii  

«    12  

'    H    . 

<    14  

'    IS.  • 

•  16  

'  I7-- 

«  18  

'    iq.  . 

'   2O  

'   21  

'    22  

23.  . 

'      24  
«     2?  

'     26  

'     27.. 

'     28  

Mar.    i   ...    . 

'      2  

'     3-  . 

'     4  

'     c    . 

«     6     ..    . 

'     7  

<     8  

«     9  

'    10  

Total  39  days 

347-75 

370.00 

377-00 

270.00 

976.75 

882.25 

1156.00 

833-75 

*Evening  feed  only. 


tMorning  feed  only. 


308  BULLETIN  NO.  9.  [May, 

In  the  analyses  of  duplicate  samples  of  corn-fodder  and  ensilage 
taken  weekly  during  this  period  (pp.  316  to  320),  Mr.  Farrington  finds 
that  the  corn-fodder  contained  32.19  per  cent,  of  water,  of  which  that  not 
eaten  and  weighed  back,  contained  51.65  per  cent,  of  water;  and  that  the 
ensilage  given  contained  72.30  per  cent,  of  water,  of  which  that  not  eaten 
contained  78.32  per  cent  of  water.  It  has  heretofore  been  determined  by 
this  Station  that  the  stalks  of  growing  corn,  when  the  ears  have  become 
glazed,  contain  a  much  larger  percentage  of  water  than  either  the  ears  or 
the  leaves  and  husks.*  It  would  seem  from  these  analyses  that  the  rela- 
tive percentage  of  water  in  the  stalks  of  the  cured  corn-fodder  is  greater 
than  the  stalks  of  the  ensilage. 

The  percentage  of  waste  in  feeding  both  corn-fodder  and  ensilage  is 
less  than  is  indicated  by  the  percentage  of  fresh  substance  not  eaten. 

The  following  table  will  show  this: 

Period  2,  January  3oth  to  March  ioth,39  days.  The  composition  of 
the  corn-fodder  and  ensilage  eaten  and  refused  per  day  per  animal  was: 

Corn-fodder.  Ensilage. 

Fresh.        Water-free.  Fresh.  Water-free. 

Pounds  given 12.  8.14  30.  8.31 

Pounds  not  eaten 3.25  1.58  5.94  1.29 

Pounds  eaten  (by  difference) 8.75  6.56  24.06  7.02 

Per  cent,  eaten  of  that  given 72.9  806  80.2  85.6 

In  this  case  the  amount  of  water-free  substance  was  determined  by 
first  computing  the  water-free  substance  in  the  food  given  and  in  that  not 
eaten,  and  then  taking  the  difference.  If,  as  in  period  i,  the  water-free 
substance  eaten  had  been  computed  by  assuming  that  the  fresh  substance 
eaten  contained  the  same  percentage  of  water  as  the  food  given,  the 
pounds  of  water-free  corn-fodder  eaten  daily  would  be  5.93  instead  of 
6.56,  and  of  water-free  ensilage  6.66  pounds  instead  of  7.02  pounds. 

The  total  pounds  of  food  eaten  per  day  per  animal,  during  period  2 

was: 

Heifers  fed  corn-fodder.  Heifers  fed  ensilage. 

Fresh.  Water-free.  Fresh  Water-free. 

Corn-fodder  or  ensilage 8.75                 6.56  24.06  7.02 

Crushed  oats 6.                     S-19  6.  5-l9 

Clover  hay 2.                     1.64  2.  1.64 

Total  per  animal 16.75               x3-39  32.06  13-%S 

Total  per  1,000  Ib.  live  wt 17-44  I7-5i 

Period  j.  During  period  3,  March  loth  to  3ist,  heifers  i  to  8  were 
each  given  12  pounds  of  Burr's  white  corn-fodder  daily.  The  following 
table  gives  the  number  of  pounds  of  corn-fodder  eaten  by  each  animal 
each  day  during  the  period: 


*Bulletin  No.  4,  p   91 


1890.]  COMPARATIVE  VALUE  OF  CORN-FODDER  AND  ENSILAGE. 

TABLE  SHOWING  POUNDS  OF  CORN-FODDER  EATEN. 


3°9 


Date. 

Corn-fodder. 

Corn-  fodder. 

I 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

March  10       

5-5 
7-25 
8.5 
9.02 
8.25 

7 
8.25 

8.25 

I'5 
8.25 

1" 

7  75 
8.25 
8.25 
9.00 
7.50 
2-75 

5-75 
ii 
10.25 
*  10.25 
9-75 
9-25 
9 
9-75 
8-5 
9 
9-25 
9-75 
9-75 
9-5 
9-75 
9-5 
9 
9.25 
8.75 
9-25 
9-25 
3-75 

5 
9.25 
8.25 
9-25 
9-25 

a 

7.25 
8.25 

8.5 

7-75 
8.25 

8-75 
8-75 
9-75 
9 
9-5 
9-5 
9-75 
9-25 
9 
3-75 

i75 
6.75 
7.25 
7.25 

7 

6 

6-75 
6.25 

6-75 
7-25 
8.25 

7-75 
8 

7-5 
8-5 
7-5 

7 

I'25 

3 

5-25 
8-75 
7-75 
7-5 
6-75 
4-75 
5-75 
6 

6.25 

6.5 
6.25 

7-25 
7-75 
8-75 
8.75 
8-75 
8-75 
7-75 
8.00 
8.25 
3-75 

5-25 
9'25 
9-5 

10 

9-5 

8.5 

7-75 
8  75 
10 

9-25 

8-75 
8-5 
8-75 
8-75 

9-75 

9-5 
9 

4 

5 
9-25 
9 
9 
9-25 
9-25 
8-5 
8-5 
8-75 

8-75 
8-75 
9-75 
9-25 
9-25 
8.25 

9-75 
9-25 
9 

9-75 

3-5 

4-5 
9.25 

7-5 
8 

8-5 
8.25 

8 
6-75 
7-75 
7-25 

t'75 

8 

7-75 
7-75 
7-5 
8-5 
7-25 
3-75 

ii               .        

12    

13 

14    . 

1C    . 

16  

17   . 

18       

iq.  . 

26  ....    

21    

22  

2T,    . 

24.    . 

2>    . 

26  

27.  . 

28  

2q    . 

7O     . 

"?!  .  . 

Total,  21  days  

171.50 

I99-25 

184.75 

152.75 

154-25 

190.25 

189.25 

161.50 

Taking  32.19  as  the  per  cent,  of  water  in  the  corn-fodder  given,  and 
51.65  as  the  per  cent,  of  water  in  that  not  eaten,  we  have  the  following: 

Period  3,  March  idth  to  3131,  21  days.  The  pounds  of  corn-fodder 
per  day  per  animal  was: 

Corn-fodder.  Ensilage. 

Fresh.         Water- free.  Fresh.          Water- free. 

Pounds  given 12.                    8.14  12.                   8.14 

Pounds  not  eaten 3.57                 1.73  3.73                1. 80 

Pounds  eaten 8.43                6.41  8.27                6.34 

Per  cent,  eaten  of  that  given.     70.3                 78.7  68.7                77.9 

The  total  pounds  of  food  eaten  per  day  per  animal  during  period  3,  was: 


Heifers  fed  corn-fodder. 

Fresh.  Water-free. 

Corn   Fodder 8.3  6.41 

Crushed  oats 6.  5. 19 

Clover  hay 2.  1.64 

Total  per  animal 16.43  I3-24 

Total  per  1,000  Ib.  live  wt 16.25 


Heifers  fed  ensilage. 

Fresh.        Water-free 

8.27  6.34 

6.  5-19 

2.  1.64 

16.27  I3-I7 

15-92 


Summary.  The  total  pounds  of  food  eaten  per  day  per  animal,  dur- 
ing the  12  weeks,  January  6th  to  March  313!,  may  now  be  computed  from 
the  foregoing  tables,  and  was: 

Heifers  fed  corn-fodder.  Heifers  fed  ensilage. 

(during  periods  I  and  2). 

Fresh.         Water-free.  Fresh.  Water-free. 

Corn-fodder  or  ensilage 8.3                     5.92  20. 17  6.57 

Crushed  oats 6.                       5.19  6.  5.19 

Clover  hay 2.                       1.64  2.  1.64 

Total  per  animal 16.3                  12.75  28.17  *3  4° 

Total  per  I, ooo  Ib.  live  wt 16.87  J7-55 


310 


BULLETIN    NO.  9. 
WATER   CONSUMED. 


[May, 


During  two  weeks,  February  i7th  to  March  2d  inclusive,  the  pounds 
of  water  consumed  was  ascertained,  and  is  given  in  the  following  table: 

TABLE  SHOWING  POUNDS  OF  WATER  GIVEN  AT  MORNING  AND  NIGHT  FEB. 

MARCH  20. 


Date. 

No.  i. 

No.  2. 

No.  3. 

No.  4. 

.No.  5. 

No.  6. 

No.  7. 

No.  8. 

M. 

N. 

M. 

N. 

M. 

N. 

M. 

N. 

M. 

N. 

M. 

N. 

M. 

N. 

M. 

N. 

17 

26 

25 

21 

.24 

36 

18 

25 

»7 

26 

18 

16.5 

10 

18 

20 

0 

18 

18 

21 

20 

20 

12 

3° 

24 

26 

12 

36 

14 

13 

o 

29 

16 

o 

26 

19 

0 

22 

25 

20 

20 

*9 

25 

18 

22 

12 

14 

i 

17 

o 

o 

48 

20 

17 

O 

'9 

12 

26 

10 

15 

16 

24 

I 

5 

20 

26 

6 

o 

7 

21 

24 

13 

40 

15 

II 

19 

H 

26 

26 

16 

20 

15 

18 

18 

o 

3i 

22 

22 

6 

*9 

13 

24 

34 

14 

17 

21 

18 

3 

o 

'9 

21 

o 

0 

23 

26 

20 

24 

25 

25 

*9 

26 

ii 

7 

»4 

7 

13 

17 

23 

26 

26 

24 

25 

»9 

25 

19 

19 

19 

20 

20 

23 

X9 

10 

9 

27 

18 

0 

5i 

25 

8 

17 

32 

»9 

37 

22 

2O 

2O 

20 

19 

19 

o 

23 

16 

o 

4 

26 

18 

2O 

o 

22 

24 

16 

20 

13 

17 

13 

15 

13 

24 

12 

27 

o 

27 

0 

»9 

16 

21 

26 

18 

24 

»7 

18 

16 

13 

H 

21 

17 

26 

0 

28 

o 

26 

20 

22 

25 

18 

6 

15 

5 

7 

o 

17 

18 

18 

o 

21 

I 

19 

19 

21 

21 

19 

32 

24 

20 

25 

18 

7 

21 

26 

24 

26 

26 

2 

26 

25 

26 

26 

'9 

19 

21 

16 

16 

13 

»3 

5 

»9 

18 

25 

O 

Total. 

232 

251 

308 

278 

34i 

287 

280 

238 

286 

198 

155-5 

i47 

302 

227 

130 

258 

All  the  water  consumed  daily  per  animal,  during  the  two  weeks  was, 


in  pounds: 


Water  drunk 

Water  in  corn -fodder  or  ensilage. 

Water  in  oats 

Water  in  clover  hay 

Total  water  consumed  daily 


Heifers  fed 

corn-fodder. 

39-5 

2.2 

0.8 

0.4 

42.9 


Heifers  fed 
ensilage. 

3°-4 
18.6 

0.8 

0.4 
50.2 


WEIGHT  OF  ANIMALS. 


Each  animal  was  weighed  daily  between  9  and  10  a.  m.,  throughout 
the  entire  time  of  the  experiment.  The  weighing  was  done  after  the  morn- 
ing feeding  and  before  watering.  A  pair  of  Fairbank's  bullock  scales 
were  used,  which  weighed  accurately  to  a  pound. 

The  table  on  pp.  311  to  312  gives  the  daily  weight  of  each  animal  for 
the  three  periods,  and  the  diagram  on  the  page  following  shows  graphic- 
ally the  average  daily  weight  for  each  lot  of  four  heifers. 

In  this  test  the  measure  of  value  of  the  food  given  is  taken  to  be  the 
increase  in  weight  of  the  animals  receiving  the  food.  This  is  not  neces- 
sarily an  entirely  accurate  measure  of  value,  but  is  the  only  standard 
practicable  with  growing  and  fatting  animals  in  a  test  of  this  nature. 
That  important  and  complex  element,  quality,  as  affected  by  the  food 
given,  should  never  be  overlooked;  but  where  the  quantity  and  composi- 
tion of  the  food  given  was  so  similar,  little  or  no  variation  in  quality  was 
to  be  expected,  and  indeed  none  has  been  detected. 

It  is  not  an  easy  matter,  however,  to  get  the  true  measure  of  increase 
in  a  given  animal  or  lot  of  animals  even  when  daily  weights  are  taken; 


1890.] 


COMPARATIVE  VALUE  OF  CORN-FODDER  AND  ENSILAGE. 


31* 


much  less  when  the  weights  are  taken  at  longer  intervals.  In  this  experi- 
ment weights  were  taken  daily,  and  every  precaution  was  taken  to  have 
the  animals  weighed  under  similar  conditions  each  day.  They  ate  with 
reasonable  regularity,  made  good  gains,  and  were  throughout  the  test  in 
the  best  of  health.  Yet  a  glance  at  the  table  of  individual  weights,  or  at 
the  diagram  of  average  weights,  will  show  striking'daily  variations. 

An  average  increase  of  25  Ib.  per  animal  in  one  day,  and,  again  a  de- 
crease of  20  Ib.  may  be  noted.  It  should  be  mentioned  that  the  marked 
variations  in  weight  from  March  6th  to  pth,  were  caused,  undoubtedly,  by 
an  enforced  temporary  change  of  water  and  method  of  watering.  The 
grade  Shorthorn  heifer, .No.  8,  showed  the  most  variation.  The  weights 
from  March  25th  to  3oth,  may  be  given  in  illustration;  viz.,  891,  854,  868, 
869,  900,  and  907  Ib.  See  also  weights  from  February  xoth  to  25th. 

Although,  in  general,  the  average  daily  variations  of  each  test  were 
somewhat  similar,  it  is  apparent  that  a  comparison  of  particular  days 
might  be  misleading.  It  was  decided,  therefore,  to  take  the  average 
weight  of  five  days  preceeding  the  beginning  or  ending  of  any  period, 
and  these  are  given  in  the  following  table: 

TABLE  SHOWING  DAILY  WEIGHTS  OF  HEIFERS. 


Date. 

I 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

Jan   2  

Period 
629 
637 
637 

/.  Anim 

749 
760 

752 

a  Is  fed 
660 
670 

674 

B.&W. 
670 

corn-fo 
712 

715 
720 

dder  an 

613 
606 
607 

d  ensila 

703 
700 
709 

**• 

732 
735 
745 

1  •  • 

A,  . 

5  

632 

623 
626 

635 
626 

634 
622 

643 
644 
648 

645 
658 

643 
649 
652 

643 
650 
665 

677 
680 
672 
672 
685 
685 

673 

677 

760 
770 

754 
767 

764 
760 

754 
766 
760 
784 
764 
763 
773 
782 

785 
769 

783 
782 
804 
801 
788 
787 
795 
816 
788 
ro< 

695 
694 

693 
712 
708 

694 
694 
702 
696 
686 
678 
711 
706 
708 

719 
717 

723 
715 
723 

727 
726  • 
729 
738 

74i 
719 

717 

666 
668 
684 
694 

678 
684 
690 

695 
685 
701 
691 
699 
697 
699 
715 
715 
720 
712 
709 
720 
721 

734 
712 

71; 

731 
721 

731 
748 
741 
720 
719 
721 
730 
739 
735 
752 
755 
752 
763 
756 
778 
765 
773 
774 
764 
762 

773 
779 
785 
781 

612 
618 
628 
629 
638 
637 
639 
644 
640 

?' 

650 

653 
664 

655 
657 
668 
676 

673 
674 

674 
673 
678 
683 
685 
683 
68  1 

706 
711 

716 
732 
740 
729 
728 
737 
730 
73i 
730 
746 
752 
755 
755 
746 

746 
761 

771 
778 
783 
779 
786 
780 

773 
768 

75i 

7I4 
763 

773 
766 
770 
766 
762 
757 
775 

784 
776 
775 
794 
7M 
789 
796 

799 
796 
805 
805 
798 
819 
801 

701 

6  

7  

8  

Q  .  . 

IO  

II  

12  

n.  . 

14  

1C  .  . 

16  

17.  • 

iS  

IQ.  . 

20  

21  

22  

2T,  .  . 

24  

25  .  . 

26  

27  .  . 

28  

2Q.  . 

30.  . 

312  BULLETIN  NO.  9.  [May, 

TABLE  SHOWING  DAILY  WEIGHTS  OF  HEIFERS— Continued. 


Date. 

I 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

"  31  

Period 
672 
68  1 
682 
686 

689 
697 
700 
698 
707 
718 
722 
722 
717 
728 
723 
725 
723 
740 

741 
738 

733 
748 

738 
746 

753 
736 
757 
756 
750 
75° 
763 
760 

753 
769 
745 
767 

775 
773 
Period 

765 
753 
766 

773 
778 
762 

765 
778 
761 

765 
780 

775 
760 
776 
78i 
780 

774 
761 
782 
782 
792 

2.  Anini 
796 
813 

793 

821 
803 
809 

813 
826 
822 
848 

833 
836 

837 
827 

837 
834 
842 

831 
838 
821 
842 
843 
851 
854 

854 
848 
848 
857 
857 
863 
867 

875 
883 

853 
88  1 
880 
885 
j>.  A  mm 
877 
882 
888 
893 
895 
892 

894 

883 
887 
887 
883 
884 
895 
874 

906 

als  fed 
734 
732 
750 
718 
746 

739 
738 
756 

753 

7f 
762 

761 

752 
762 
758 
758 
757 
763 
761 
771 
764 
768 
762 
787 
783 
780 

789 
785 
79° 
785 
79  i 
79° 
795 
804 
804 
805 
808 
808 
800 
als  fed 
800 
802 
802 

799 
8i5 
808 
820 
827 

831 
827 
822 

833 
824 
819 

831 

825 
830 
814 

827 
835 

«34 

corn-f 
711 

732 
720 

733 
722 
702 
738 
744 
744 
753 
753 
742 
742 
745 
749 
743 
747 
761 
761 
760 
766 

765 
772 
769 
769 
769 
773 
773 
776 

765 
773 
777 
776 
792 
785 
752 
740 

774 
780 
corn-fo 
780 
784 
783 
79° 
795 
786 
798 
802 
800 
805 

797 
790 
792 
796 
797 
795 
796 
790 
811 
814 
818 

odder  a 
786 

79° 

787 

782 
788 
806 
791 
803 

793 
791 
778 
811 
819 
812 
820 
810 
822 
828 
831 
841 
838 
842 
837 
844 
840 

843 
830 
818 
840 
843 
845 
847 
841 

835 
854 
851 
848 
dder  fr 

835 
841 
842 
846 
841 
837 
833 
830 
821 
823 
825 
828 
822 
827 

831 
825 
827 
821 
834 
834 
843 

ndensil 
686 
692 
694 
692 

&' 

691 

696 
708 
709 
704 
705 
70S 
7°5 
728 
724 
723 
723 
720 
730 

719 
716 

7H 
733 
721 

73o 

733 
727 

735 
743 
75o 
75o 
749 
752 
745 
745 
735 
725 
739 
756 
om  Bur 

733 
734 
728 

747 
737 
756 
755 
757 
756 
760 
760 
761 
761 
771 
767 
771 
766 
753 
774 
775 
782 

agefmB 
777 
79° 
784 
786 

794 
787 
792 
801 
797 
795 
806 

797 
803 
814 
824 
807 

813 
828 
825 
828 
809 
822 
829 

837 
830 

839 
838 
830 
834 
835 
840 

835 
836 
850 

847 
838 

843 
851 
850 
r's  whit 
828 
823 
826 
823 
831 
833 
834 
832 
831 
835 
832 
812 
832 
835 
839 
839 
833 
821 
840 
846 
852 

,'sw.c'n 

794 
812 
825 
820 

8i5 
802 
810 
825 
822 
822 
820 
846 
829 

835 
838 

837 
86  1 
850 
843 
845 
871 
854 
863 

845 
870 
888 
868 
865 
862 
860 
884 
872 
866 
882 
881 
848 
828 
861 
871 
e  corn. 
88  1 
866 
860 
870 
88  1 
892 

893 
899 

897 
895 

899 
901 

882 

893 
891 

854 
868 
869 
900 
907 
901 

Feb.  I  

2  

7.  . 

4.  . 

5    

6  

7  

8.  

10  

ii  

12  

17.  . 

IS  . 

16  

17. 

18  

IQ  . 

2O  

21  

22  

27 

24.  . 

2? 

26  

27.  . 

28  

March  i  

2  

March  3  

4  

5  

6  

7  

8  

Q.  . 

IO  

II  

12  

I"?.  . 

IS.  . 

ii  :. 

17.  . 

18  

IQ.  . 

2O  

21  

22  

27  .  . 

24  

25.  . 

26  

27  .  . 

28  

2Q.  . 

TO  . 

71  .  . 

1890.] 


COMPARATIVE  VALUE  OF  CORN-FODDER  AND  ENSILAGE. 


EnsilnfjO. 


Corn -Fodder 


314  BULLETIN  NO.  9.  [May, 

TABLE   SHOWING  AVERAGE  WEIGHTS  OF  HEIFERS  FOR  PERIODS  NAMED. 


Date. 

I 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

January  2  to  6  

611.6 

758.2 

674.8 

677 

710.8 

611.2 

704.1; 

743.4 

January  o  to  13  

637.8 

760.8 

698.8 

686.4 

/iy.<j 
726.2 

630.6 

732.8 

764  2 

January  26  to  30  

678.4 

7O6.2 

732.8 

720.4 

776 

682 

777-2 

803.2 

March  6  to  10    

765.  8 

876.4 

805 

766.2 

84S.8 

740 

845.8 

8S7.8 

March  27  to  31  

778.2 

894.6 

828 

805.8 

83I-8 

770 

838.4 

889 

During  the  first  week  of  period  i,  the  four  heifers  fed  corn- fodder 
gained  38  lb.,  while  the  four  fed  ensilage  gained  82.5  Ib.  This  is  due  to  the 
change  of  stomach  contents,  as  is  shown  by  the  comparative  rate  of  gain 
after  the  first  week.  To  make  an  accurate  comparison  of  the  rate  of 
gain  during  period  i,  it  is  necessary  therefore  to  exclude  the  first  week. 
Thus  compared,  the  gain  made  by  lot  during  the  time  the  corn-fodder  was 

fed  Stands,  in  pounds,  as  follows:  Heifers  fed  Heifers  fed 

ensilage. 


Period    I  excluding  1st  week 

Period  2   

Periods  i  and  2,  excluding  1st  week. 
Gain  per  animal  per  day 


corn-fodder. 
148 
285.6 
433-6 
1.94 


175-6 
251. 
426.6 
1.90 


In  comparing  the  gain  for  the  three  periods,  or  the  whole  time  of  12 
weeks,  the  first  week  should  be  included,  because  from  January  2d  to  6th, 
and  from  March  27th  to  3ist  both  lots  were  fed  alike. 

The  following  table  gives  the  gain,  in  pounds,  per  lot  of  each  period, 

and  the  total  gain  for  the  three  periods:  Heifers  fed 

corn-fodder. 

Period  1 186.2 

Period  2 285.6 

Period  3 93-2 

Periods  I,  2,  and  3 565. 

Gain  per  day  per  animal 1.68 


Heifers  fed  ensilage, 
(during  periods  i  and  2) 

259-5 
251 

39-8 
550-3 
1.64 


POUNDS  OF  FOOD  TO  MAKE  100  POUNDS  OF  LIVE  INCREASE. 

The  value  of  the  food  consumed,  according  to  the  standard  here 
adopted,  is  determined  by  the  number  of  pounds  required  to  make  a  given 
increase.  With  the  heifers  fed  corn-fodder,  it  required  for  every  100  lb. 
of  increase  759  lb.  of  water-free  substance.  With  the  heifers  fed  ensilage 
during  periods  i  and  2,  it  required  for  the  three  periods  817  lb.  of  water- 
free  substance  for  every  100  lb.  of  increase. 

From  a  practical  standpoint,  however,  the  difference  was  not  so  great, 
because  there  was  a  less  percentage  of  the  ensilage  than  of  the  corn- 
fodder  left  uneaten,  and  that  left  uneaten  was  so  much  wasted.  Thus  in 
period  2,  in  which  the  comparison  can  best  be  made  on  account  of  its 
longer  duration  and  the  more  complete  data,  four  heifers  ate  80.6  per 
cent  of  the  8.14  lb.  of  water-free  substance  in  the  corn-fodder  given  daily, 
while  four  heifers  ate  85.6  per  cent  of  the  8.31  lb.  of  water-free  substance 
in  the  ensilage  given.  In  other  words,  the  heifers  fed  ensilage  ate  more, 
but  a  part  of  what  they  ate  would  have  been  wasted  if  it  had  been  cured 
corn-fodder. 

THOMAS  F.  HUNT,  B.  S., 

Assistant  Agriculturist. 


i89o.] 


COMPARATIVE  VALUE  OF  CORN-FODDER  AND  ENSILAGE. 


315 


ANALYSES   OF   CORN-FODDER   AND    ENSILAGE    MADE   IN   CONNECTION 
WITH  THE  FOREGOING  EXPERIMENT. 

From  February  4,  1890,  to  March  i2th,  inclusive,  duplicate  samples 
of  the  cut  corn-fodder,  field-cured,  and  of  the  ensilage  were  taken  each 
week.  The  samples  were  taken  in  duplicate  because  it  was  feared  that, 
with  our  present  fittings  for  drying  only  small  samples,  2  to  3  Ib.  of  corn- 
fodder  and  5  to  7  Ib.  of  ensilage  might  not  be  a  sufficient  quantity  to  rep- 
resent fairly  the  300  to  5ob  Ib.  from  which  the  sample  was  taken.  The 
sampling  was  done  by  filling  tin  pails  with  the  feeds,  the  operator  being 
seriously  conscious  how  desirable  it  was  that  the  contents  of  the  pails 
fairly  represented  the  feeding  stuff.  The  average  weight  of  the  samples 
so  taken  was  2  Ib.  11.9  oz.  of  the  corn-fodder,  and  7  Ib.  2.3  oz.  of  the  en- 
silage. After  carefully  recording  the  weight  of  the  samples,  they  were  cut 
so  fine  that  no  whole  kernels  of  corn  were  left.  None  of  the  material 
was  lost  in  the  cutting.  By  recording  the  weights  immediately  after  this 
cutting  it  was  found  that  the  corn-fodder  did  not  lose  in  weight  enough 
to  be  detected  by  the  scales,  which  weighed  to  ^  oz.;  but  the  ensilage  lost 
by  drying,  on  the  average  1.5  per  cent,  of  its  weight.  From  this  fine  mate- 
rial a  smaller  sample  of  about  9  oz.  was  taken  and  its  weight  recorded. 
In  the  laboratory  this  was  dried  at  40°  to  50°  C.,  for  about  24  hours,  and 
while  warm  was  ground  so  fine  that  it  would  pass  through  a  sieve  with 
openings  .5  mm.  in  diameter.  After  grinding  it  was  allowed  to  air-dry  for 
about  12  hours  and  then  weighed.  From  this  an  eight-ounce  bottle  was 
filled  for  the  analyses. 

The  moisture  in  the  air-dry  sample  was  determined  by  drying  i  gram 
in  a  current  of  dry  hydrogen  at  the  temperature  of  boiling  water.  The 
fat  (ether  extract)  was  also  determined  in  this  same  i  gram  from  which 
the  moisture  had  been  expelled. 

Analyses  were  made  in  the  same  way  of  samples  of  corn-fodder  and 
ensilage  taken  at  different  times,  three  in  the  morning  and  three  in  the 
evening,  from  that  not  eaten  by  the  animals. 

The  two  following  tables  show  the  results  of  these  analyses. 

TABLE  SHOWING  AVERAGE  OF  ANALYSES  OF  DUPLICATE  SAMPLES  OF  CORN-FODDER 
AND  ENSILAGE  AS  FED,  PER  CENTS. 


Sampled. 

Corn-fodder. 

Corn  ensilage. 

Dry  mat- 
ter. 

Dry  matter  contains, 

Dry  mat- 
ter. 

Dry  matter  contains, 

Nitrogen. 

Ether  extract. 

Nitrogen. 

Ether  extract. 

February  14  .... 
"        n  
18.... 
"        25  
March    4  

70.  oo 
68.59 
70.44 
66.07 
72.72 
57-95 

•43 
.28 

•43 
•33 
•35 

.10 

2.66 
2.80 
3.12 
3-29 
3-64 
3-13 

2Q.35 

28.57 
28.57 
27.27 
24.76 

1.29 
1.23 
i-35 
i-34 
1.42 

3-27 
3.83 

•J        J 

3.08 
3-36 
3-87 

"        12 

Averaee  .. 

67.81 

1.33 

1.07 

27.70 

I.« 

^?.48 

3i6 


BULLETIN    NO.  9. 


[May, 


TABLE  SHOWING  ANALYSES  OF  SAMPLES  OF  REFUSED  CORN-FODDER  AND  ENSILAGE, 

PER  CENTS. 


Sampled. 

Corn-fodder  (refused). 

Ensilage  (refused). 

Dry  mat- 
ter. 

Dry  matter  contains, 

Dry  mat- 
ter. 

Dry  matter  contains, 

Nitrogen. 

Ether  extract. 

Nitrogen. 

Ether  extract. 

Feb.  17,  p.  m.  .  . 

21.64 
23-63 

20.  2  1 
21.23 

1.29 
1.32 
1-34 
1-34 

1.64 
1.44 
1.29 
i-73 

"    18,  a.  m.  .  . 

"    25,  p.  m.  . 
"    26,  a.  m.  . 
March  n,  p.  m. 
"      12,  a.  m. 

53-10 
57.20 
42.70 
40.38 

0.98 
0.99 
0.77 
0.73 

2.06 
2.21 

2.34 
2.43 

Averace  .  . 

48.^ 

0.87 

2.26 

21.68 

1.32 

I.M 

Duplicate  samples  of  ensilage  and  of  corn-fodder  were  taken  for  an- 
alysis at  five  and  six  different  dates  respectively;  also,  samples  of  the  refused 
corn-fodder  and  ensilage  from  the  night  and  morning  feed  at  two  different 
dates.  The  analyses  of  the  duplicates  and  of  the  morning  and  evening 
feeds  showed  variations  as  given  below. 

TABLE  SHOWING  THE  AVERAGE  WEIGHT  OF  SAMPLES   TAKEN;  THE  MAXIMUM,  MIN 
IMUM,  AND  AVERAGE  VARIATION  IN  PER  CENTS-  IN   THE  COMPOSITION  OF  THE 
DUPLICATES  AND  OF  THE  NIGHT  AND  MORNING  FEED  REFUSED. 


Corn-fodder 
from  shock. 

Corn  ensil- 
age. 

Corn-fodder, 
refused. 

Corn  ensilage 
refused. 

Average  wt.  of  sample  taken. 

2  Ib.    II   OZ. 

7  Ib.  2.3  oz. 

I  Ib.  12.  1  oz. 

5  Ib.  2.4  oz. 

Dry  matter  — 
Maximum  variation.. 

C.-JQ 

T..QT. 

4.  IO 

I.QQ 

Minimum  variation. 

I  02 

I  4"» 

2.72 

I.  O2 

Average  variation  

2.QC 

2.O7 

3.21 

I-5I 

Nitrogen  in  dry  matter  — 
Maximum  variation.. 

o  19 

O  14. 

O  O4 

o.oT 

Minimum  variation  

O  OI 

O  O2 

O.OI 

O  OO 

Average  variation  

0.08 

O.O6 

O.O2 

O.OI 

Ether  extract  in  dry  matter  — 
Maximum  variation  

0.44. 

0.6=; 

O.I? 

°-44 

Minimum  variation  

O.OQ 

0.03 

O.OQ 

O.2O 

Averaee  variation  .  . 

O.2C 

O.32 

an 

0.1,2 

In  the  third  annual  report  of  the  Wisconsin  Station,  p.  135,  under  the 
head  "  Errors  of  Analysis,"  Dr.  Armsby  makes  the  following  statement : 

"  If  a  skilled  marksman  shoots  a  number  of  times  in  succession  at  a 
target,  he  finds  that  however  carefully  he  may  aim,  no  two  balls  strike  the 
target  exactly  in  the  same  place,  and  it  is  a  matter  of  pure  chance  which 
particular  ball,  if  any,  hits  the  bull's-eye.  In  the  same  way,  however  care- 
fully the  chemist  may  make  his  determinations,  it  is  a  matter  of  pure 
chance  which  particular  one,  if  any,  comes  out  exactly  right,  or  if  any 
two  determinations  agree  exactly  with  each  other.  But  just  as  the  skilled 
marksman  will  put  all  his  balls  within  a  certain  distance  of  the  bull's  eye, 
depending  upon  the  range,  the  quality  of  his  weapon,  and  other  condi- 


i89o.] 


COMPARATIVE  VALUE  OF  CORN-FODDER  AND  ENSILAGE. 


317 


tions,  so  the  skillful  chemist  will  bring  his  results  very  near  the  truth,  the 
approximation  depending  on  the  nature  of  the  method  used." 

The  foregoing  table  shows  that  the  per  cent,  of  nitrogen  and  ether 
extract  in  the  dry  matter  of  duplicate  samples  was  about  the  same,  but 
the  per  cent,  of  dry  matter  varied  considerably  because  of  the  small  size 
of  the  samples  taken  for  analyses. 

The  following  table  gives  the  composition  of  the  feeding  stuffs,  aver- 
age of  all  the  analyses: 

TABLE  SHOWING  COMPOSITION  OF  THE  FEEDING  STUFFS,  PER  CENTS. 


Water. 

Ash. 

Protein.  * 

Fiber. 

Nitrogen- 
free  extr'ct 

Crude 
fat. 

Corn-fodder  as  fed 
Fresh  

32.  IQ 

3.40 

15.76 

13.  s6 

42.01 

2.OQ 

Water-free  

5.15 

8.  so 

20 

63.18 

3.07 

Corn  ensilage  as  fed 
Fresh  

72.3O 

1.^4 

2.^O 

6.  02 

16.88 

O.q6 

Water-free  

5-58 

8.31 

21.70 

60.03 

3.48 

Fodder  refused 
Fresh   

ci.6<; 

3.Q6 

2.  OS 

17.28 

2^.O7 

l.oq 

Water-  free  

8.20 

~-y;> 

6.  IQ 

3S.73 

47.62 

..^y 

2  26 

Ensilage  refused 
Fresh  

78.32 

I.  OS 

i.  80 

7.<i6 

10.04 

O  33 

Water-  free  

0.03 

8.37 

34.86 

46.21 

I.51 

Clover  hay 
Fresh  

18.23 

6.34. 

12.93 

2S.IO 

34  68 

2.72 

Water-  free  

7.76 

it  81 

3O  7O 

42  41 

1*12 

Crushed  oats 
Fresh  

13.32 

3.32 

11.48 

O.73 

S7.22 

4..Q7 

Water-free  

3.84 

13.24 

1  1  23 

66  01 

s.68 

*Nitrogen  x  6.25. 

By  drying  the  ensilage  for  analysis,  the  volatile  acids  are  lost,  and  the 
figures  of  the  table  for  per  cent,  of  water  include  what  is  lost  by  drying  at 
100°  C.  in  a  current  of  hydrogen.  A  sample  of  fresh  ensilage  from 
another  silo  contained: 

Volatile  acid 0.823  Per  cent. 

Non-volatile  acid 1.211  per  cent. 

When  the  sample  was  ready  for  analysis,  after  drying  at  about  40°  C. 
for  24  hours,  grinding  and  air-drying,  it  was  found  to  contain  (calculated 
to  fresh  substance): 

Volatile  acid none. 

Non- volatile  acid °-955  Per  cent. 

The  figures  for  "crude  fat"  in  the  table  also  include  acids  soluble  in 
ether. 

The  corn-fodder  and  ensilage  not  eaten  or  refused  by  the  animals 
was  principally  the  coarser  stalks;  comparing  the  analyses  of  water-free 
substance,  shows  that  what  was  refused  contains  more  water,  ash,  and 
crude  fibre,  but  less  nitrogen-free  extract  and  crude  fat  than  the  original 
feeding  stuff.  The  per  cent,  of  protein  is  considerably  less  in  the  refused 
than  in  the  original  corn-fodder;  while  the  ensilage  left  uneaten  contained 
nearly  the  same  amount  as  the  original.  This  suggests  that  either  the 


BULLETIN    NO.  9. 


\_May, 


nitrogeneous  constituents  are  diffused  through  the  ensilage  more  evenly 
than  in  the  corn-fodder,  or  that  the  animals  ate  the  ensilage  without 
selecting  or  picking  it  over  very  much. 

The  relation  of  albuminoids  to  non- albuminoids  is  nearly  the  same 
in  the  refused  as  in  the  original  ensilage,  although  quite  different  in  the 
two  kinds  of  corn-fodder. 

TABLE  SHOWING  RELATION  OF  ALBUMINOIDS  AND  NON-ALBUMINOIDS  IN  THE  DRY 

MATTER  OF  THE  PROVENDER  FED  AND    REFUSED. 


The  dry  matter  con- 
tains, 

Corn-  fod- 
der. 
Per  cent. 

Corn  ensi- 
lage. 
Per  cent. 

Corn-fod- 
der refused 
Per  cent. 

Corn  ensil- 
age refused 
Per  cent. 

Clover 
hay. 
Per  cent. 

Crushed 
oats. 
Per  cent. 

Albuminoids  

7.87 

"v37 

5 

5 

14.72 

1  1.4.3 

Non-albuminoids  .  . 

0.63 

2.94 

1.19 

3-37 

1.09 

1.81 

The  following  table  shows  the  digestible  nutrients  and  potential  energy 
in  100  Ib.  of  each  of  the  feeding  stuffs. 

The  digestion  coefficients  used  for  the  corn-fodder  and  corn  ensilage 
are  those  given  by  Dr.  H.  P.  Armsby,  bulletin  No.  9,  Penn.  Experiment 
Station.  For  clover  hay  and  oats,  the  coefficients  are  obtained  from 
Wolff's  Futterungslehre. 

Digestion  coefficients  used: 


Protein.         Fiber. 

Corn-fodder 44  71 

Corn  ensilage 41  60 

Clover  hay 63 

Crushed  oats 72 


Nitrogen- 
free  extract. 
68 
66 
62 
67 


Fat 

79 
86 
60 
80 


The  figures  represent  per  cents,  and  are  used  as  follows:  The  table 
on  p.  317  gives  the  Ib.  of  protein  in  100  Ib.  of  clover  hay  as  12.93. 
The  digestion  coefficient  of  protein  in  clover  hay  is  given  as  63;  that  is, 
63  per  cent,  of  the  12.93  Ib.  (8.14  Ib.)  is  digestible  protein  in  every  100  Ib. 
of  the  clover  hay. 

TABLE  SHOWING  DIGESTIBLE  NUTRIENTS  AND  POTENTIAL  ENERGY  IN  100  POUNDS  OF 

FEEDING  STUFF  NAMED. 


Corn-fod- 
der. 

Corn 
ensilage. 

Corn-fod- 
der refused 

Corn  ensil- 
age refused 

Clover 
hay. 

Crushed 
oats. 

Digestible    protein, 
Ib  

2.C3 

O  Q4. 

I  2Q 

O  73 

8  14 

8  26 

Digestible  crude  fi- 
ber, Ib  

9  62 

-i  61 

12  27 

4C7 

Digestible  nitrogen 
free-ext.,  Ib  
Digestible  fat  (ether 
ext.),  Ib  

29.18 
1.65 

10.68 
0.82 

15.69 

0.86 

16.61 
o  28 

37-07 
I  63 

44-85 

1   Qd. 

Total  digestible  or 
ganic  matter  .... 
Potential   energy 
(calories)  

42.98 
83,841 

16.05 
31,770 

30.11 

IC8.O3Q 

12.15 
23,261 

46.84 
91,018 

57-05 
115  42O 

Nutritive  ratio.  •.  .  . 

1:16 

1:17 

1:23 

1:16 

i=5 

1:6.5 

1890.]  COMPARATIVE  VALUE  OF  CORN-FODDER  AND  ENSILAGE.  319 

Although  these  estimates  of  nutrients  and  energy  are  crude,  merely 
rough  approximations,  they  are  the  best  known  to  science  at  the  present 
day,  and  give  in  figures  a  representation  of  the  comparative  value  of  feed- 
ing stuffs  measured  by  a  uniform  mold  of  calculation. 

The  nutritive  ratio  represents  the  relation  between  the  digestible 
nitrogenous  and  non-nitrogenous  organic  nutrients,  or  between  the  digest- 
ible protein  and  the  remaining  digestible  organic  matter.  It  is  thus  culcu- 
lated:  Counting  the  digestible  protein  as  the  first  term  of  the  ratio,  the 
second  term  is  found  by  multiplying  the  digestible  fat  by  2.25  (because  i 
Ib.  of  fat  produces  2.25  times  as  much  heat  when  burned  as  i  Ib.  of  the 
other  organic  nutrients)  and  by  adding  to  this  product  the  digestible  crude 
fibre  and  nitrogen-free  extract.  In  the  foregoing  table,  each  ratio  has  been 
reduced  to  a  ratio  whose  first  term  is  one. 

The  calories  of  potential  energy  show  the  "  fuel  values  "  of  the  digest- 
ible nutrients.  One  calorie  is  the  quantity  of  heat  necessary  to  raise  the 
temperature  of  one  kilogram*  of  water  through  one  degree  centigrade, 
and  the  energy,  heat,  or  work  represented  by  the  calories  in  the  foregoing 
table  is  obtained  by  multiplying  the  number  of  grams  of  digestible  pro- 
tein and  carbohydrates  (fiber  and  nitrogen-free  extract)  by  4.1  and  the 
number  of  grams  of  digestible  fat  by  9.3,  and  taking  the  sum  of  the  two 
products  for  the  total  calories  contained  in  the  digestible  nutrients;  be- 
cause one  gram  of  protein  or  carbohydrates,  if  its  potential  energy  is 
converted  into  heat,  will  raise  the  temperature  of  i  kilogram  of  water 
through  4.1  degrees  centigrade,  and  i  gram  of  fat  will  raise  the  tempera- 
ture of  the  same  amount  of  water  through  9.3  degrees  centigrade. 

E.  H.  FARRINGTON,  M.  S., 

Assistant  Chemist. 


VALUE  OF  PASTURE,  AND  OF  GRAIN  RATION  WITH  PAS- 
TURE, FOR  YOUNG  CATTLE. 

Experiment  No.  27. 

The  following  pages  contain  a  report  of  experiments  tried  in  1888  and 
1889  to  ascertain: 

1.  The  feeding  value,  for  young  cattle,  of  pasture. 

2.  The  value  of  a  grain  ration  for  young  cattle  on  pasture. 
Similar  experiments  are  to  be  tried  in  1890,  and  full  details  are  not 

here  published.  In  a  more  than  usual  degree  the  results  are  suggestive 
rather  than  conclusive.  The  questions  to  be  solved  are  more  complex 
than  appears  at  first  statement.  Thus,  evidently  cattle  with  a  grain  ration 
will  eat  less  grass;  but  how  much  less  ?  The  droppings  of  the  grain-fed 
cattle  will  be  more  valuable  as  manure;  but  how  much  more?  A  better 
result  will  be  secured  if  hogs  follow  the  grain -fed  cattle;  but  in  what  num- 
ber ?  Aside  from  such  questions  as  these,  correct  answers  to  which  can- 

*One  kilogram  equals  2.2  4-  pounds. 


320  BULLETIN  NO.  9.  {.May, 

not  be  given  in  advance  of  repeated  experiments,  the  obvious  difficulties 
in  making  the  results  in  one  season  apply  to  a  season  of  a  different  char- 
acter, or  those  from  one  pasture  apply  to  a  different  pasture,  make  the  re- 
sults of  two  years'  trials  only  suggestive. 

The  trials  were  made  on  the  University  lands — good,  dark-colored 
prairie  soil.  Five  acres  of  blue-grass  pasture,  with  some  white  clover, 
was  selected  and  divided  into  plats  of  two  and  three  acres  each;  much 
alike,  except  that  a  small  portion  of  the  three-acre  plat  had  some  orchard 
grass  and  a  little  timothy  in  it.  These  plats  were  used  both  years.  In 
1889  there  was  also  used  ten  acres  of  a  fair  average  blue-grass  pasture. 
All  the  land  had  been  in  pasture  for  ten  years. 

In  April,  1888,  eight  young  steers  were  selected,  of  which  the  exact 
age  and  breeding  were  known  in  but  a  single  case.  Probably  each  had 
some  Shorthorn  blood,  and  the  age  varied  from  eight  to  fourteen  months. 
They  were  not  so  uniform  nor  so  good  as  would  have  been  desirable,  but 
were  such  as  could  be  obtained  conveniently.  They  were  divided  into 
two  lots  of  four  each  as  nearly  equal  in  weight  and  quality  as  possible. 

April  1 8th,  each  lot  was  placed  in  a  dry  lot,  and  for  four  weeks  they 
were  fed  all  they  would  readily  eat  of  hay  and  a  mixture  of  corn,  60  lb., 
oats,  40  lb.;  bran,  25  lb. 

May  i4th,  one  lot  was  put  into  the  three-acre  grass  plat  and  received 
no  other  food.  The  other  was  put  into  the  two-acre  plat  and,  in  addition 
to  the  grass,  was  fed  the  grain  ration  twice  daily. 

The  following  notes  of  the  condition  of  the  grass  were  made:  June 
nth,  blue-grass  headed  and  well  covered  the  pastures.  June  25th,  culms 
and  heads  of  the  blue-grass  dead.  July  loth,  heads  and  culms  of  the 
blue-grass  disappearing  somewhat;  fresh  grass  growing  abundantly.  No 
material  difference  was  noted  in  quality  or  quantity  of  the  grass  in  the  two- 
plats.  July  23rd,  much  of  the  old  blue-grass  remaining.  One-fourth  to 
one-third  of  each  pasture  cropped  closely.  More  white  clover  in  the  two- 
than  in  the  three-acre  plat.  Up  to  this  date  the  pastures  have  apparently 
contained  more  feed  than  was  needed  by  the  steers. 

October  29th,  the  steers  were  taken  from  the  pasture  and  were  there- 
after fed  hay  and  grain,  and  ran  in  a  small  grass  lot  during  the  day.  Jan- 
uary 21,  1889,  corn  ensilage  was  substituted  for  the  grain.  For  two  weeks 
all  the  hay  the  steers  would  eat  was  given  them.  From  Feb.  4th  to  March 
i8th,  the  hay  given  was  limited.  From  the  latter  date  to  April  2gth,  grain 
was  substituted  for  ensilage.  At  this  date  the  eight  steers  were  placed 
on  ten  acres  of  pasture,  receiving  no  other  food  until  September  25th. 
From  this  date  to  November  25th  they  were  fed  ear  corn  and  were  allow- 
ed to  remain  on  the  same  pasture.  The  corn  was  husked  as  needed. 
Fifty  pounds  from  each  load  was  hung  up  to  dry.  December  nth,  the 
sample  lots  of  corn  were  shelled  and  the  weight  of  the  shelled  corn  taken. 
From  this  the  quantity  of  air- dry  corn  fed  was  calculated. 

The  weight  of  each  lot  of  steers  at  given  dates,  and  the  quantity  of 
hay,  grain,  or  ensilage  eaten  in  each  period  are  given  in  the  accompany- 


i89o.] 


COMPARATIVE  VALUE  OF  CORN-FODDER  AND   ENSILAGE. 


321 


ing  tables.  The  weighings  were  in  the  morning,  after  feeding,  but  before 
watering.  The  steers  were  weighed  separately.  The  weighings  here  re- 
ported were  at  intervals  of  two  weeks  with  one  or  two  exceptions,  which 
will  be  readily  noted. 

TABLE  SHOWING  WEIGHTS  AND  GAINS  OF  ANIMALS,  AND  WEIGHTS  OF  FEEDING 
STUFFS  FOR  PERIODS  GIVEN. 


Dates. 
1888-89. 

Lot  I. 

Lot  2. 

W'ght 

Gain. 

Grain. 

Hay. 

W'ght 

Gain. 

Grain. 

Hay. 

April   18  
April  30   

2,405 
2,500 

2,535 
2,665 

2,735 
2,935 
2,925 

2,980 

95 
35 
130 

70 
200 

-10 

65 

IO 

* 
* 

* 
* 

2,210 
2,360 
2,395 

2^665 
2,760 
2,845 
2,840 
2,880 
2,925 
3,045 

3^53 
3,3o6 

3,275 

150 

35 
1  80 

90 

25 

85 

-5 
40 

45 

120 
56 
52 
153 

* 

* 

May  14         

May  28  

432 
341 
280 
251 
209 
258 
265 
259 
245 
324 
364 
305 

June   II  

June  25         

July  10  
Fulv  2"?. 

August  6   

August  20  

3,005 
3,175 

25 
170 

September  3  

September  17  

October  I        

3,274 
3^129 

140 

-91 

-54 

October  15  



October  29  

November  12  

3,i7o 

3^380 
3'427 
3,5oo 
3,523 

45 
165 
47 
73 
23 

421 
502 
560 

733 
630 

165 
388 
687 
708 
617 
625 

3^450 
3,523 
3,579 
3,575 

35 
5 
135 
73 
56 
-4 

400 
441 

492 
566 

713 
656 

170 
392 
683 
701 
654 
675 

November  26  

December  10  

December  24  

January  7  .  . 

January  21  

Ensilage  was  fed  in 
February  4  

Place 
3,562 
3,510 
3,56o 
3,599 

of  Gra 

39 

-52 
So 
-39 

in  fro 

1^887 
1,892 
1,765 

m  Feb. 

525 
225 
264 
245 

4th  to 
3,625 
3,585 
3,643 
3,653 

March 
50 
-40 
58 

IO 

i8th. 
1,219 
2,072 
2,228 
2,129 

575 
225 
264 
245 

February  18  

March  4  

March  18   

April  I  

3,645 
3,686 

3,729 

46 

43 

719 
520 
405 

430 
510 
405 

3,733 
3.791 
3,8i3 

80 
58 

22 

719 
755 

430 
520 
405 

April  15 

April  29  

May  13  

3,993 
4,043 
4,i43 
4,299 
4,204 
4,214 
4,291 
4,411 
4,378 
4,43° 

264 

So 

100 

156 
-95 

IO 

77 

120 

-33 
52 

4,061 
4,110 
4,156 
4,373 
4,274 
4,292 
4,366 
4,5" 
4,43° 
4,494 

248 

49 
46 
217 

74 
145 
-8  1 
64 

May  27..  . 

June  10  .... 

Tune  24.  . 

Julys  

Tuly  22  

August  5  

August  19  

September  2  
September  23  

October  14  

4,500 
4,722 
4,798 
4,832 

222 
76 

34 

t 
t 

4,604 
4,825 
4,849 
4,847 

no 

221 

24 

-2 

t 
t 

October  28   

November  1  1  

November  25  

*  From  April  i8th  to  May  I4th,  both  lots  were  fed  together  1,800  Ib.  of  grain  and 
1,498  Ib.  of  hay. 

f  From  Sept.  25th  to  Oct.  Hth,  both  lots  were  fed  together  ear  corn  the  equivalent 
of  1,622  Ib.  of  air-dry  shelled  corn;  Oct.  I4th  to  28th,  1,752  Ib.;  Oct.  28th  to  Nov.  nth, 
1,951  Ib.;  Nov.  ijth  to  25th,  1,802  Ib. 

3 


322 


BULLETIN    NO.  9. 


{.May, 


May  20,  1889,  six  steers  were  selected.  One  was  known  to  be  pure 
Shorthorn;  the  others  were  grade  Shorthorns,  but  exact  breeding  and  age 
were  unknown.  One  was  apparently  under  one  year  old;  one  14  months; 
the  others  probably  1 8  to  20  months.  They  were  divided  into  two  lots  of 
three,  and  placed  on  the  pasture  plats  used  in  1888.  Commencing  May 
27th,  lot  4  was  fed  shelled  corn  in  addition  to  the  pasture;  lot  3  had  noth- 
ing but  the  grass. 

June  xoth,  two  Poland-China  pigs  were  put  into  the  two-acre  plat 
with  lot  4,  receiving  no  other  food  than  the  grass  and  offal  from  the  steers. 
These  pigs  weighed  285.5  K>.  Until  Sept.  24th,  at  which  time  ear  corn 
was  substituted  for  shelled  corn,  they  had  gained  129.5  lb.  Until  Oct. 
28th,  at  which  time  the  growth  of  grass  may  be  assumed  to  have  mainly 
ceased,  the  gain  had  been  163  lb.,  and  until  Nov.  25th,  when  the  experi- 
ment ceased,  the  total  gain  had  been  195  lb. 

From  Sept.  25th,  to  Nov.  25th,  each  lot  was  fed  corn  in  the  ear,  husked 
as  needed.  A  sample  of  each  load  was  dried,  and  from  the  weight  of  the 
shelled  corn  of  these  sample  lots  the  quantity  of  air-dry  corn  eaten  by 
each  lot  of  steers  was  calculated. 

The  weights  of  each  lot  of  steers  at  dates  named,  and  the  quantity  of 
grain  eaten  are  given  in  the  accompanying  table.  As  in  the  preceeding 
experiment,  the  weighings  were  in  the  morning,  after  feeding,  but  before 
watering. 

TABLE  SHOWING  WEIGHTS  AND  GAINS  OF  ANIMALS,  AND  WEIGHTS  OK  CORN,  FOR 

PERIODS  GIVEN. 


Dates. 

Lot  i. 

Lot  2. 

1889. 

Weight. 

Gain. 

Corn. 

Weight. 

Gain. 

Corn. 

May  20  
May  27   

2,231 

2.344 

Ill 

2,276 
2  386 

no 

June  10         . 

2  AA.O 

0.6 

2  A3C 

A.Q 

22? 

Tune  24.  .  , 

2,  514 

74 

2.4CQ 

24 

324 

Tuly  8   . 

2,6lO 

06 

2,46? 

6 

•2,00 

T       1 

fulv  22     

2,1;  q.8 

-12 

2.C2Q 

64 

•K6 

August  5     

2,642 

AA 

2  638 

IOQ 

480 

August  19  

2,746 

IO4 

2,70? 

luy 
67 

460 

September  2   

2,741; 

—  I 

2,761 

c6 

-140 

September  24  . 

2,848 

IO3 

•2.O2O 

2CQ 

660 

October  14  

2,  86  1 

IT. 

*8oi 

•2,046 

26 

*8oi 

October  28  

2.QSI 

GO 

CO7 

•3.167 

121 

6)9 

November  11.. 

2.OOO 

48 

f  ' 

6ot; 

3.184 

17 

721 

November  25  

3.OIO 

II 

eei 

-1,187 

•2 

6lQ 

*From  this  date  the  corn  was  ear  corn  equivalent  to  the   number  of  pounds  of  air- 
dry  shelled  corn  named. 

GAIN  FROM  PASTURE  ONLY. 

Study  of  the  tables  shows  remarkable  variations  in  the  rate  of  gain 
of  the  steers,  especially  those  having  no  other  food  than  grass.  Thus,  the 
four  steers  on  three  acres  of  pasture  in  1888,  from  May  i4th  to  June  25th, 
six  weeks,  gained  390  lb.;  for  the  next  eight  weeks,  only  71  lb.;  and  for 
the  next  six  weeks.  269  lb.;  while  during  the  next  four  weeks,  Oct.  ist  to 
Oct.  29th,  they  lost  145  lb. 


1890.]  COMPARATIVE  VALUE  OF  CORN-FODDER  AND  ENSILAGE.  323 

In  1889,  the  three  steers  on  the  same  three  acres  made  a  gain  of  104 
lb.,  in  the  two  weeks  from  Aug.  5th  to  Aug.  igth,  and  lost  i  Ib.  during  the 
next  two  weeks. 

In  1889,  the  eight  two-year-old  steers  on  ten  acres  of  pasture  gained 
1,130  lb.  in  eight  weeks,  from  April  2gth  to  June  24th,  and  only  252  lb.  in 
the  next  13  weeks. 

Some  reasons  for  these  variations  are  obvious,  but  it  is  difficult  to 
explain  all  of  them.  Except  during  October,  1888,  the  pastures  did  not 
appear  to  be  grazed  unusually  short  at  any  time.  In  the  earlier  part  of 
each  season  the  supply  of  grass  was,  apparently,  more  than  the  cattle 
needed.  It  seems  evident,  however,  they  were  too  heavily  stocked,  tak- 
ing the  seasons  as  a  whole.  In  no  case  was  there  a  satisfactory  gain  per 
animal  for  the  summer's  grazing.  In  1888,  the  four  steers  made  an  aver- 
age gain  of  185  lb.  from  May  i4th  to  Oct.  ist.  In  1889,  eight  steers  made 
an  average  gain  of  173  lb.  from  April  2gth  to  Sept.  23d,  and  three  year- 
ling steers  made  an  average  gain  of  206  lb.  from  May  2oth  to  Sept.  24th. 
Fractions  of  a  pound  are  not  given  above.  The  gain  in  the  last  case  may 
be  considered  passably  good,  but  is  below  what  is  desirable. 

In  trials  in  former  years  on  the  University  farms  with  several  lots  of 
yearling  steers,  the  following  gains  were  made  in  the  six  months  from  May 
ist  to  Nov.  ist,  there  being  in  one  or  two  cases  a  variation  from  this  time 
of  two  or  three  days:  Four  steers,  average  gain,  332  lb.;  10  steers,  aver- 
age gain,  285  lb.;  2  steers,  average  gain,  440  lb.;  eight  steers,  223  lb. — 
this  last  from  April  25th  to  Sept.  ist.  Of  two-year-old  steers,  during  six 
months,  seven  made  an  average  gain  of  466  lb.;  eight,  of  380  lb.;  four, 
of  406  lb. 

The  gains  per  acre  of  grass-land  were  more  satisfactory  than  the  gains 
per  animal.  The  three-acre  pasture,  in  1888,  supported  four  steers  with 
an  average  aggregate  weight  of  2,904  lb.  which  made  a  gain  of  739  lb.,  or 
246  lb.  per  acre  from  May  i4th  to  Oct.  ist.  The  same  pasture,  in  1889, 
supported  three  steers,  with  an  average  aggregate  weight  of  2,540  lb.  which 
made  a  gain  of  617  lb.  or  206  lb.  per  acre  from  May  2oth  to  Sept.  24th. 
The  ten-acre  pasture,  in  1889,  supported  eight  steers  with  an  average  ag- 
gregate weight  of  8,233  Ib-  which  made  a  gain  of  1,382  lb.,  138  lb.  per  acre, 
from  April  2gth  to  Sept.  24th. 

With  cattle  selling  at  any  reasonable  price  any  of  these  gains  would 
give  a  good  return  for  the  use  of  the  land;  especially  as  pasturage  is  one 
of  the  least  exhaustive  uses  to  which  we  can  put  our  lands. 

The  results  of  pasturage  in  October,  1888,  are  not  considered  here,  as 
it  is  evident  there  was  not  sufficient  food  for  the  cattle.  After  Sept.  24, 
1889,  all  the  cattle  were  fed  grain. 

EFFECT  OF  GRAIN  RATION  WITH  GRASS. 

It  was  assumed  that  the  steers  receiving  a  liberal  grain  ration  might 
safely  have  the  acreage  of  pasture  reduced  one-third,  and  the  appearance 
of  the  two  plats  used  indicated  that  this  assumption  was  fairly  correct. 


324  BULLETIN  NO.  9.  [May, 

The  steers  fed  grain  made  a  more  uniform  gain  than  those  on  pasture 
alone,  but  the  variations  in  equal  periods  were  sufficiently  noticeable.  In 
1888,  the  four  steers  on  the  two  acres  of  grass,  from  May  i4th  to  Oct.  ist, 
ate  2,864  lb.  of  the  mixture  of  corn,  oats,  and  bran,  an  average  of  716  Ib. 
each,  and  made  a  gain  of  758  lb.,  or  189.5  lb.  each.  This  was  a  gain 
only  39  lb.  larger  than  that  made  by  the  four  steers  on  the  three  acres  of 
grass  without  grain.  That  is,  there  was  a  gain  of  39  lb.  in  weight,  a  sav- 
ing of  one  acre  of  pasturage,  and  an  undetermined  increase  in  the  value 
of  the  manure  to  offset  the  value  of  2,864  lb.  grain  fed  and  the  increase  of 
labor  made  necessary  by  this  feeding.  Evidently  the  grain  was  fed  at  a 
loss  in  this'  case. 

In  1889,  the  three  steers  on  the  same  two  acres  of  pasture,  ate  3,163 
lb.  of  corn  and  made  a  gain  of  634  lb.,  from  May  27th,  to  Sept.  24th,  or 
130  lb.  more  than  the  gain  made  during  the  same  period  by  the  three 
steers  on  three  acres  of  pasture.  The  two  pigs  with  the  grain  fed  steers 
increased  129.5  lb.  during  the  period.  With  beef  and  pork  selling  at 
average  prices,  this  increased  gain  and  the  rental  value  of  one  acre  of 
land  would  about  equal  value  of  the  corn  fed. 

No  considerable  difference  was  found  in  the  rate  of  gain  in  the  two 
lots  of  steers  in  the  autumn  months  when  both  were  fed  grain.  In  two 
cases  the  advantage  was  with  the  lots  not  having  had  grain  during  the 
summer;  in  the  third  case  the  steers  fed  grain  during  the  summer  made 
slightly  larger  gain  in  autumn  than  those  which  had  pasture  only. 

It  was  easily  noticeable  in  the  late  autumn  and  following  spring,  that 
the  three-acre  was  better  than  the  two-acre  pasture  One  reason  evi- 
dently was  that,  when  grain  was  given  both  lots  of  steers,  they  would 
eat  about  equal  quantites  of  grass,  the  three-acre  plat  thus  having  the  ad- 
vantage. 

GAIN  FROM  GRAIN  AND  HAY 

From  April  18  to  May  14,  1888,  the  eight  steers  ate  1,800  lb.  of  the 
mixed  grain  ration  and  1,498  lb.  of  hay,  and  gained  315  lb.  From  Octo- 
ber 29th  to  Jan.  2ist,  they  ate  6,465  lb.  of  grain  and  6,365  lb.  of  hay,  and 
gained  694  lb.  From  March  i8th  to  April  2gth,  they  ate  4,409  lb.  of  grain 
and  2,700  lb.  of  hay,  making  a  gain  of  310  lb. 

From  Jan.  ist  to  March  i8th,  corn  ensilage  was  substituted  for  the 
mixed  grain  ration.  During  this  period  they  ate  15,218  lb.  of  ensilage, 
and  2,568  lb.  of  hay  and  made  gain  of  154  lb. 

For  the  first  period  of  26  days,  the  average  gain  per  day  for  each 
steer  was  1.5  lb.;  the  average  daily  ration  being  about  nine  lb.  of  grain 
and  seven  lb.  of  hay.  For  the  second  period  of  84  days,  the  average  gain 
was  a  little  over  one  pound  per  day,  with  ration  of  9.6  lb.  grain,  and  9.5  lb. 
hay.  For  the  last  period  of  42  days  the  average  gain  was  a  little  over  one- 
tenth  of  a  pound,  with  a  daily  ration  of  almost  exactly  13  lb.  of  grain  and 
8  lb.  of  hay.  During  the  56  days  when  ensilage  was  substituted  for  the 
grain  ration,  the  daily  gain  was  a  trifle  over  one-third  of  a  pound  per  day 
with  ration  of  34  lb.  of  ensilage  and  5.75  lb.  of  hay. 


1890.]  COMPARATIVE  VALUE  OF  CORN-FODDER  AND  ENSILAGE.  325 

From  Sept.  24  to  Nov.  29,  1889,  all  the  steers  were  fed  ear  corn  on 
the  pastures.  The  results  were  surprising.  In  no  case  was  there  a  large 
gain  made,  and,  although  the  weather  was  not  cold  at  any  time,  nor  unusu- 
ally unpleasant,  the  gains  during  the  last  four  weeks  were  especially  small. 

From  Sept.  23d  to  Oct.  28th,  each  of  eight  steers  made  an  average 
daily  gain  of  2.2  lb.,  eating  the  equivalent  of  12  Ib.  air-dry  shelled  corn 
per  day.  From  Oct.  28th  to  Nov.  25th,  the  average  daily  gain  was  only 
about  six-tenths  of  a  pound,  with  the  equivalent  of  16.7  lb.  of  corn  eaten. 
The  six  younger  steers  during  the  first  period  made  an  average  daily  gain 
of  about  1.2  lb.  each,  eating  13  lb.  of  corn.  During  the  second  period 
the  average  daily  gain  was  not  quite  four-tenths  of  a  pound,  with  a  ration 
of  12  lb.  of  corn  each  per  day. 

In  feeding  in  a  similar  manner  en  the  University  farms,  lots  of  steers 
have  frequently  made  average  daily  gains  of  three  pounds  each  during 
September  and  two  and  three-fourths  pounds  during  October.  As  the 
weather  grew  colder  the  rate  of  gain  always  decreased,  but  rarely,  if  ever, 
to  so  low  a  point  as  noted  above,  unless  in  case  of  extreme  cold  or 
storms. 

SUGGESTED  CONCLUSIONS. 

The  results  from  two  years'  trials  indicate  that  a  grain  ration  to  young 
steers  on  good  pasture  is  not  usually  profitable.  The  value  of  the  increase 
in  weight  by  the  grain-fed  steers  over  that  by  those  having  grass  only, 
will  rarely  repay  the  cost  of  food  and  labor.  The  increased  value  of  the 
animals  from  earlier  maturity  and  better  quality  may  make  the  grain  feed- 
ing profitable. 

Especially  if  the  grain  given  be  unground,  is  it  essential  to  have  pigs 
follow  the  cattle,  if  a  profit  is  to  be  had. 

To  secure  the  greatest  gains  per  animal  the  pastures  must  not  be  fully 
stocked.  To  secure  the  largest  gain  per  acre  they  should  be  fully  stocked. 

An  acre  of  good  grass  may  be  expected  to  support  a  steer  weighing 
from  800  to  1,000  lb.,  and  enable  it  to  make  a  moderate  gain  during  the 
summer. 

The  rate  of  growth  of  cattle,  either  on  grass  alone  or  with  an  added 
grain  ration,  is  very  irregular,  being  especially  checked  by  either  drouth 
or  excessive  rains,  extreme  heat  or  cold  storms. 

The  addition  of  grain  or  other  food  to  the  pasturage  before  the  grass 
fails  in  the  autumn  is  clearly  advisable. 

The  acreage  of  pasturage  may  probably  be  safely  decreased  one- 
third,  if  the  steers  be  given  a  full  grain  ration. 

It  is  doubtful  if,  at  present,  in  most  parts  of  Illinois,  cattle  can  be 
maintained  or  an  increase  of  weight  be  secured  at  so  low  a  cost  in  any 
other  way  as  by  allowing  them  to  get  all  their  food  during  the  best  of  the 
grazing  season  from  good  pastures,  fully  but  not  over  stocked. 

G.  E.  MORROW,  A.  M., 

Agriculturist. 


326 


BULLETIN    NO.  9. 


EXPERIMENTS  IN  PROGRESS. 

In  the  list  below  are  given  by  number  and  title  the  experiments 
which  are  now  in  hand.  Some  of  them,  as  will  be  seen,  are  of  such  a 
nature  that  they  will  run  through  two,  three,  or  even  many  years;  and 
others  we  are  repeating  for  the  second  or  third  time.  Reports  have  been 
published  upon  certain  of  the  experiments,  and  in  the  last  column  of  the 
table  are  the  numbers  of  the  bulletins  in  which  such  reports  may  be  found. 

LIST  OF  EXPERIMENTS  IN  PROGRESS. 


Class  and  title  of  experiment. 


Reported  in 
bulletins 


Field  Experiments. 

1  Corn,  testing  varieties Nos.  4  and  8 

2  Corn,  testing  varieties  for  ensilage No.  4 

3  Corn,  time  of  planting Nos.  4  and  8 

4  Corn,  depth  of  planting 

5  Corn,  thickness  of  planting 

6  Corn,  planting  in  hills  and  drills No.  4 

8  Corn,  frequency  of  cultivation Nos.  4  and  8 

9  Corn,  depth  of  cultivation 

10  Corn,  effect  of  root-pruning 

1 1  Corn,  effect  of  fertilizers — large  plats  [In  part  at  Flora] 

12  Oats,  quantity  of  seed  per  acre Nos.  3  and  7 

13  Oats,  compact  or  loose  seed  bed 

4  Oats,  time  of  sowing 

5  Oats,  depth  of  sowing 

16  Grasses,  comparison  of  varieties 

17  Clovers,  comparison  of  varieties 

1 8  Grasses  and  clovers  sown  with  or  without  grain 

19  Grasses,  field  tests  of  varieties 

20  Clovers,  field  tests  of  varieties 

21  Grasses  and  clovers,  field  tests  of  mixtures 

22  Weeds,  number  and  kinds  on  given  areas   

23  Rotation,  University  experiments  continued 

24  Fertilizers,  comparison  of,  on  corn — small  plats Nos.  4  and  8 

54  Corn,  root-growth 

62  Wheat,  effect  of  fertilizers 

63  Wheat,  methods  of  soil  preparation 

65  Wheat,  quantity  of  seed  per  acre 

66  Wheat,  time  of  sowing 

67  Wheat,  depth  of  sowing 

68  Wheat,  its  relation  to  chess 

69  Wheat,  effect  of  fertilizers  upon.     [Experiments  at  Flora,  Odin,  and 

Farina] .... 

71   Corn-fodder,  effect  of  ripeness 

84  Oats,  testing  varieties No.  7 

85  Oats,  effect  of  sowing  spring  wheat  with 

86  Fertilizers,  effect  on  grass-lands 

88  Beets,  testing  varieties 

89  Corn,  cross  fertilization  of 

90  Corn,  rate  of  growth 

103  Comparative  yield  of  corn  planted  with  and  without  pumpkins,  and  of 

pumpkins  planted  with  and  without  corn 


i89o.J 


EXPERIMENTS    IN    PROGRESS. 
LIST — Continued. 


327 


Class  and  title  of  experiment. 


Reported  in 
bulletins 


Feeding  Experiments. 

Cost  of  production  of  young  cattle No.  9 

Cost  of  production  of  young  colts 

Cost  of  production  of  young  calves. 

Cost  of  production  of  young  heifers   

Pigs,  comparison  between  corn,  grass,  and  corn  and  grass  in  feeding. 

Pigs,  comparative  value  of  corn  and  beets,  and  corn  in  feeding 

Tree  Culture. 

Orchard,  soil  cultivation  and  management 

Orchard,  soil  fertilization 

Apples,  testing  new  varieties  by  planting 

Apples,  testing  new  varieties  by  top-grafting 

Apples,  testing  hardiness  of  root-grafted  and  double-worked  trees. . . 

Pears,  testing  new  varieties 

Plums,  testing  new  varieties 

Cherries,  testing  new  varieties 

Forest  trees,  growing  of 

Testing  time  and  methods  of  transplanting  trees 

Testing  and  improving  native  fruits 

Testing  the  effects  of  stock  and  cion  upon  each  other 

Peach  trees,  winter  protection  of 

Trees,  protection  of  trunks 

Trees,  protection  from  mice,  rabbits,  and  insects 

Vine  Culture. 

Grapes,  testing  new  varieties 

Grapes,  methods  of  training 

Grapes,  soil  treatment 

Small  Fruit  Culture. 

Blackberries,  testing  varieties 

Raspberries,  testing  varieties 

Strawberries,  testing  varieties 

Strawberries,  raising  seedlings 

Raspberries,  soil  management 

Gardening. 

Beans,  testing  varieties 

Sweet  corn,  testing  varieties Nos.  4  and  8 

Potatoes,  investigation  of  scab 

Cucurbitaceous  plants,  tests  of,  except  melons 

Tree  and  Vine  Culture. 

Fungicides,  use  of 

Insecticides,  use  of. 

Miscellaneous. 

Record  of  soil  temperature • 

Soil  moisture,  evaporation  of  water  from   the  surface  of  water  of  un- 
cultivated soil,  of  cultivated  soil,  of  a  corn  plant,  and  of  grass. 

Meterological  record  from  August  17,  1888 

Biology  of  ensilage No.  7 

Canada  thistles,  extermination  of.     [At  Mattoon] 

Fruits,  production  of  new  varieties  from  seeds 

Vitality  of  timothy,  blue  grass,  and  red-top  seeds  tested 

Vitality  of  seeds  tested 

Investigation  of  a  bacterial  disease  of  corn No.  6 

Investigation  of  milk  tests No.  9 


All  communications  intended  for  the  Station  should  be  addressed, 
not  to  any  person,  but  to  the 

AGRICULTURAL  EXPERIMENT  STATION,  CHAMPAIGN,  ILLINOIS. 
The  bulletins  of  the  Experiment  Station  will  be   sent   free   of  all 
charges  to  persons  engaged  in  farming  who  may  request  that  they  be  sent. 

SELIM  H.  PEABODY, 

President  Board  of  Direction. 


328  BULLETIN    NO.  9.  [May,   1890. 


ORGANIZATION. 


BOARD  OF  TRUSTEES  OF  THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS. 
ALEXANDER  McLEAN,  Macomb,  President. 

JOSEPH  W.  FIFER,  Governor  of  Illinois. 
GEORGE  S.  HASKELL,  Rockford,  President  State  Board  of  Agriculture. 

RICHARD  EDWARDS,  Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction. 

S.   M.  MILLARD,  Highland  Park.  GEORGE  R.  SHAWHAN,  Urbana. 

CHARLES  BENNETT,  Mattoon.  W.  W.  CLEMENS,  Marion. 

OLIVER  A.  HARKER,  Carbondale.  FRANCIS  M.  McKAY,  Chicago. 

EMORY  COBB,  Kankakee.  SAMUEL  A.  BULLARD,  Springfield. 


BOARD  OF  DIRECTION  OF  THE  EXPERIMENT  STATION. 

SELIM  H.  PEABODY,  LL.  D.,  Champaign,  Regent  of  the  University,  President. 

E.  E.  CHESTER,  Champaign,  of  State  Board  of  Agriculture. 

HENRY  M.  DUNLAP,  Savoy,  of  State  Horticultural  Society. 

H.  B.  GURLER,  DeKalb,  of  State  Dairymen's  Association. 

EMORY  COBB,  Kankakee,  Trustee  of  the  University. 

CHARLES  BENNETT,  Mattoon,  Trustee  of  the  University. 

GEORGE  S.  HASKELL,  Rockford,  Trustee  of  the  University. 

GEORGE  E.  MORROW,  A.  M.,  Champaign,  Professor  of  Agriculture. 

THOMAS  J.  BURRILL,  Ph.  D.,  Urbana,  Professor  of  Botany  and  Horticulture. 


THE  STATION   STAFF. 

GEORGE  E.  MORROW,  A.  M.,  Agriculturist. 

THOMAS  J.  BURRILL,  Ph.  D.,  Horticulturist  and  Botanist. 

DONALD  McINTOSH,  V.  S.,  Veterinarian. 

THOMAS  F.  HUNT,  B.  S.,  Assistant  Agriculturist. 

GEORGE  W.  McCLUER,  B.  S.,  Assistant  Horticulturist. 

EDWARD  H.  FARRINGTON,  M.  S.,  Assistant  Chemist. 

WILLIAM  L.  PILLSBURY,  A.  M.,  Champaign,  Secretary. 


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